Windows 7: Convert files to Zune and Media Center friendly.

Ok, trying to convert some files to be friendly with my Zune 120Gb and the rest of my media players including Media Center. I would also like the file type to be GPU compatible so it is faster to convert. My Zune is the main thing so it doesn't try and convert when syncing, I am only using it as an external video player for use in my car on long trips for the second set of monitors in it.The Zune will support MPEG-4 and H.264 video but there are specific limits listed.

MPEG-4 (MP4/M4V) (.mp4) Part 2 video; Simple Profile up to 2.5 Mbps peak video bit rate; 720 pixels x 480 pixels up to 30 frames per second (or 720 pixels x 576 pixels up to 25 frames per second)

H.264 video; Baseline profile up to 2.5 Mbps peak video bit rate; 720 pixels x 480 pixels up to 30 frames per second (or 720 pixels x 576 pixels up to 25 frames per second)

I do believe my Wondershare Video Converter Ultimate and DVDFab's suite use my Cuda cores for both of these conversion types but what should I set my converter up as to be within these exacting specs? I would use Handbrake but it doesn't seem to use CUDA cores.

The original files are DVD quality.

format factory is free and capable.
Format Factory Home Page - Free media file format converter

It will not change the bitrate/quality unless you specifically tell it to.

You can also expand the files media center will handle by installing a codec pack.
http://www.cccp-project.net/

They can be problematic under certain conditions though.

I guess what I am saying is do I just pick the default mp4 setting, which gives me a file of over 4gb, or change the settings. Most of these things when you pick a Zune will convert it to .WMV, which I don't want because it takes forever to encode.

You would be pleasantly surprised if you gave it a shot I think.
It's the fastest I've personally used, faster than the pay for software.
If you are dead set on the software you are using, there are obviously some settings or a compression feature missing there. I can convert an entire bluray down to my smartphone's specs inside of 35 minutes using handbrake. that's from 50 to roughly 1.5 gigs in size.
Default film frame rate is 24 what frame rate are you outputting?

Wondershare converts a dvd to most formats using cuda in under 10 minutes. I am using the default dvd rate but will change to 23.97 if it will help. it is definitely not reading h264 default it read the mp4 default but still tried to convert.

I like Handbrake a lot but it just doesn't take advantage of the CUDA cores and uses the cpu to convert.

I have a gtx580 converting with it is no faster than converting with my i7 2600k.
In fact with certain formats it's been a lot slower.