x264 compatibility with Adobe Encore CS4

[Solaris]

I am currently backing up my Star Trek PAL DVD's and want to put them on a Blu-ray. I use x264 for video encoding and want to use Adobe Encore for authoring.
Beacause I don't like the funny high voices associated with PAL I convert the video to what I believe to be NTSC:
720*480i slowdown to 23.976 fps and use 3:2 pulldown in AVISynth
Here's where things seem to go south: I use the megui for encoding and the x264 profile for Bluray - High quality and encode to RAWAVC. I also include the --interlace flag for x264.
Encore is setup as NTSC project / 720*480 / 29.970 fps (Encore does not allow 23.976 fps as this is not bluray compatible).
When I import the end result into Encore the blu-ray quality is reported as 'Untranscoded' where it should say 'Don't transcode' and I don't want to encode in Encore.

Where do I go wrong? I think it may be the x264 profile. Does anyone know what the proper x264 settings should be. I have also tried the x264 profile 'Standalone Bluray' but that doen't work either.

Here's my avs-file:
LoadPlugin("C:\Program Files\megui\tools\dgindex\DGDecode.dll")
mpeg2source("F:\TNG\TMP\vts_99_1.D2V")
AssumeFrameBased()
SeparateFields()
BicubicResize(720,240,0.0,0.6)
SelectEvery(8, 0,1, 2,3,2, 5,4, 7,6,7)
Weave()
AssumeFPS(29.970)

2nd question: is there no pulldown option like we have for MPEG2 NTSC DVD? The pulldown flag in x264 was not intended for SD video.

[fields_g]

Which Star Trek DVDs? Might be unrelated, but NTSC TNG, DS9, Voyager discs were hybrid (film and video) framerates. A straight 3:2 pulldown might cause you issues. Hard for me to tell without your source though.

[rhayman]

I'm having similar problems apart from im trying to encode to SD PAL. My source is progressive but im trying to encode it interlaced as this seems to be the only way for encore to accept it without reencoding. So far no luck though.

I ended up letting encore transcode the file just so i could compare the output file with the one i'm trying to import, here is what i get from media info:

x264 file

Video
Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile : High@L4.1
Format settings, CABAC : Yes
Format settings, ReFrames : 4 frames
Bit rate : 2 500 Kbps
Width : 720 pixels
Height : 576 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 5:4
Frame rate : 25.000 fps
Standard : PAL
Resolution : 8 bits
Colorimetry : 4:2:0
Scan type : MBAFF
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.241
Writing library : x264 core 89 r1471kGIT 1144615
Encoding settings : cabac=1 / ref=4 / deblock=1:0:0 / analyse=0x3:0x113 / me=hex / subme=7 / psy=1 / psy_rd=1.00:0.00 / mixed_ref=1 / me_range=16 / chroma_me=1 / trellis=1 / 8x8dct=1 / cqm=0 / deadzone=21,11 / fast_pskip=1 / chroma_qp_offset=-2 / threads=12 / sliced_threads=0 / slices=4 / nr=0 / decimate=1 / interlaced=tff / constrained_intra=0 / bframes=3 / b_pyramid=0 / b_adapt=1 / b_bias=0 / direct=1 / wpredb=1 / wpredp=0 / keyint=24 / keyint_min=2 / scenecut=40 / intra_refresh=0 / rc_lookahead=24 / rc=2pass / mbtree=1 / bitrate=2500 / ratetol=1.0 / qcomp=0.60 / qpmin=10 / qpmax=51 / qpstep=4 / cplxblur=20.0 / qblur=0.5 / vbv_maxrate=40000 / vbv_bufsize=30000 / ip_ratio=1.40 / aq=1:1.00 / pulldown=0 / nal_hrd=vbr

Encore Transcoded File

Video
Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile : High@L4.1
Format settings, CABAC : Yes
Format settings, ReFrames : 4 frames
Width : 720 pixels
Height : 576 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 4:3
Frame rate : 25.000 fps
Standard : PAL
Resolution : 8 bits
Colorimetry : 4:2:0
Scan type : Interlaced
Scan order : Top Field First
Color primaries : BT.470-6 System B, BT.470-6 System G, BT.601-6 625, BT.1358 625, BT.1700 625 PAL, BT.1700 625 SECAM
Transfer characteristics : BT.470-6 System B, BT.470-6 System G
Matrix coefficients : BT.470-6 System B, BT.470-6 System G, BT.601-6 625, BT.1358 625, BT.1700 625 PAL, BT.1700 625 SECAM, IEC 61966-2-4 601

I dont know why my aspect ratio is 5:4, how do I change this?
The only other major difference is the interlaced setting (Scan Type: MBAFF), im wondering if adobe encore does not like this?

Hopefully someone can help but im just giving up for now, not worth the hassle :confused:

[G_M_C]

[...]

I dont know why my aspect ratio is 5:4, how do I change this?
[...]

That i can answer; --sar 64:45 for PAL 16:9 or --sar 12:11 for PAL 4:3.

[rhayman]

thanks
I finally got a file working but it had to be encoded with mainconcepts avc encoder, stangely encore seems to accept sd content from this encoder even when it was encoded progressive so im happy :)

Encore must hust be very fussy with x264, accepts 720p encodes i do with x264 though so it's just x264 SD content it must not like.

for anyone who is interested here is the mediainfo for the compliant progressive SD encode with mainconcept.

Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile : High@L4.1
Format settings, CABAC : Yes
Format settings, ReFrames : 4 frames
Width : 720 pixels
Height : 576 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 16:9
Frame rate : 25.000 fps
Standard : PAL
Resolution : 8 bits
Colorimetry : 4:2:0
Scan type : Progressive
Color primaries : BT.470-6 System B, BT.470-6 System G, BT.601-6 625, BT.1358 625, BT.1700 625 PAL, BT.1700 625 SECAM
Transfer characteristics : BT.470-6 System B, BT.470-6 System G
Matrix coefficients : BT.470-6 System B, BT.470-6 System G, BT.601-6 625, BT.1358 625, BT.1700 625 PAL, BT.1700 625 SECAM, IEC 61966-2-4 601

Update: Encore give me an error that 576p content cannot be used when trying to author, So unless your using multiavchd looks like you have to encode interlaced.

[Solaris]

Hello Rayman,

Mainconcept sounds good. Which version are you using?

[rhayman]

Mainconcept reference 1.6.1

Only 1 other way i can think of doing this but not 100% sure if it will work and that is to author the blu-ray with the mpeg2 files from the dvd discs as encore does not transcode these and then use BD rebuilder to trancode the output. That way it should keep all your menus i think. Havent actually used it yet

Update: encore transcodes my mpeg2 files when trying to author? stupid program, maybe it's because they are progressive, you might have better luck

Update2: used ReStream to edit the mpeg2 and took away progressive properties, now encore accepts the file without transcoding. For the moment i think this is probably going to be the best way to do it, author first then use bd rebuilder or multiavchd o transcode the output with x264.

[Solaris]

Thanks for the reply Rhayman.
Doesn't sound too complicated and I will give it a try.

I was rather hoping for a set of parameters for x264.exe. I can't imagine that x642 produces incompatible files for Encore.

To answer Fields_g question
They are TNG season 5 PAL DVDs. When I check with DGIndex it shows:
Video type: PAL
Sequence: Field/Frame
Frame struct: Frame
Frame Type: Interlaced
Coding type: P
Field order: <Empty>

Any idea?