Upload problems in HD

Hello Inter-Web-Land.

Feeling very frustrated this morning after trying to encode the most suitable format for YouTube and hitting a brick wall every-time. The final edit for episode 85 Data's Day was completed yesterday (Sunday), and because I want these new edits to be HD or as near as dam it. I have fixed the info banner and re-sized it, incorporated it into the latest edit and rendered the lot. Then tried to upload the render to YouTube and the upload time was going crazy, it started off at 6 hours then ended up at 8, so I canceled it and looked at the info help pages.

They recommend re encoding as QuickTime files like this

• Using Quicktime Conversion
• In QuickTime Pro, select File > Export > Export: Movie to QuickTime Movie

Step 2: Next, verify your settings by clicking Options

Video settings

• Compression Type: H.264
• Frame Rate: 30 is preferred. 23.98, 24, 25, 29.97 are also acceptable.
• Data Rate: Automatic
• Key Frames: Automatic
• Frame Reordering: Unchecked

Audio/Sound settings

• Format: AAC
• Click Show advanced settings and choose Constant Bit Rate as encoding strategy

Other settings

• Size: Choose the original size of the video
• “Prepare for Internet Streaming”: Fast Start

So I did this and uploaded the episode and the quality to me looks poor, also the text on the banner which looked OK when I re-encoded it, now look choppy and pixelated once uploaded.
So for now this is it, but I will be working on a better way of converting the originals for editing and finding the best way to upload 4x3 aspect ratio HD files to YouTube.
        If anyone knows how I might do this, any ideas please let me know.
All the Best DarMok