Sharp Corporation announced that it will introduce the world’s first BD-R XL 100 GB triple-layer (TL) disc in Japan on July 30, 2010.

According to the statement, Sharp’s BD-R XL (VR-100BR1) conforms to the new BDXL format specification that extends the storage capacity of writable Blu-ray Discs to 100GB, twice the 50 GB storage capacity of existing dual-layer (DL) discs. The disc also features a hard coat, to protect important video data from scratches and fingerprints, as well as a wide printing area (24 mm to 118 mm) for labeling.

This new format enables recording approximately 12 hours of terrestrial digital TV broadcasts or 8.6 hours of BS digital TV broadcasts (DR mode recorded with the image quality exactly as broadcast). It expands the range of applications for Blu-ray Discs to include recording and saving long-duration HDTV programs or multiple episodes of serial dramas onto a single disc with the same high-definition image quality as the original.

Be aware that new hardware and software is required to play, read or record BDXL media.

For more information visit: www.sharp.co.jp