Using ffmpeg or x264 to create DNT Blu-ray files

Question

I am trying to find some way to batch create Blu-ray compliant video files.  My source is 720p59.94 mp4 video-only files.  Ideally, I would like to do this from the command line.  I have tried the following ffmpeg command with a fresh cross-compile:
x264options = "bluray-compat=1:force-cfr=1:weightp=0:bframes=3:ref=3:nal-hrd=vbr:vbv-maxrate=40000:vbv- bufsize=30000:keyint=60:b-pyramid=strict:slices=4:no-interlaced=1:aud=1:colorprim=bt709:tr ansfer=bt709:colormatrix=bt709:sar=1/1"
strCmd = "ffmpeg.exe -y -i " & chr(34) & INPUT_PATH & INPUT_FILE & chr(34) & " -c:v libx264 -level:v 4.1 -preset veryslow -tune film -crf 16 -r 60000/1001 -x264opts " & x264options & " -x264-params " & x264options & " -c:a copy " & chr(34) & OUTPUT_PATH & OUTPUT_NAME & chr(34)
I have also tried an x264.exe solution (from 720p - Authoring a professional Blu-ray Disc with x264):
x264 --bitrate XXXXX --preset veryslow --tune film --bluray-compat --vbv-maxrate 40000 --vbv-bufsize 30000 --level 4.1 --keyint 60 --open-gop --slices 4 --colorprim "bt709" --transfer "bt709" --colormatrix "bt709" --sar 1:1 --pass 1 -o out.264 input.file 
And neither method results in a file that I can import into Encore CS6 that is detected as DNT.  I saw a post in this forum pointing to this tutorial: Bellune Digital Video Services - Tutorials - Adobe Encore – Using x264 To Encode Video For Blu-ray Disc Authoring.  However, it's saying I need to use x264pro?  What is this?  Shouldn't I be able to achieve the same thing with the open source VideoLAN x264.exe?
Does anyone have a method of doing command line processing that works with ffmpeg or VideoLAN's x264.exe to get video files prepared for Encore?

Answer 1

Hiya.
In the first place, I would personally avoid batching - you save no time at all as each file still has to be checked as 99% of all DVD & BluRay problems are caused by bad assets.
ffmpeg I would also avoid as it is a collection of hacked, reverse engineered & freeware codecs, and neither MPEG-2 (DVD & BD) or AVC are free codecs.
x264 Pro works beautifully out of Premiere Pro though, and there is a plugin version designed to set the correct flags (264 for BluRay & 264 for web are very different animals indeed) at only $300 and that is cheap given TotalCode went for £15,000 when sold!! All authors should own this. There is simply no good reason not to, and furthermore the implementation in VideoLAN is designed to be all things, but Blu-Ray has some very specific requirements for 264 files - x264 Pro sets these for you and does it very, very well - do not try to cut corners on asset preparation as this is 99% of the work.
Next up - I have to ask - what is DNT and what does it have to do with Blu-Ray? I've been making BluRay for a while now & have never heard of it, and cannot see much online except illegal torrents flagged as DNT.