If you were hoping to grab a new Blu-ray writer to slap inside of that new tower, you'll be sorely disappointed with Lite-On's new iHES206. The 6x optical drive simply reads Blu-ray Discs, but it will handle writing of blank CD and DVD media. As for speeds, it can digest single-layer BD-R / RE / ROM discs at 6x (dual-layer at 4x) while writing DVD±R at 16X, DVD±R DL / DVD+RW at 8x, DVD-RW at 6x and DVD-RAM at 12x. It's on track for a November release in Europe for a manageable €139 ($189).

[Via CDFreaks]

If you're suddenly overcome with a feeling akin to déjà vu, go ahead and kill that speed dial to your physician. For the second time in a month, Microsoft has actually come forward to squash a Blu-ray Xbox 360 rumor. This go 'round, an alleged statement from Redmond states quite outrightly that "Lite-On is not manufacturing Blu-ray drives for Xbox 360," and it continues on by noting that "customers who want a premium movie experience [can check out the] library of on-demand HD content" available to console owners. Still, we've grown accustomed to these denials by now, and while you'd think that having a pair of rumors on the matter smashed would put the issue to rest, we've all ideas this one isn't quite dead and buried just yet.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

DigiTimes is feeling pretty confident about the rumors they started yesterday regarding the Xbox 360 with integrated Blu-ray. They are so confident that they're predicting a price war as Microsoft takes on Sony's PS3 at its own game. Their sources claim that the Blu-ray Disc drive will cost Microsoft between $95 and $100 -- much higher than the $18 to $20 DVD drives already found in the Xbox 360. Microsoft is of course, expected to sell its new Blu-ray rig at a loss as is customary in the console market. Sony may then be forced to lower the cost of the PS3 and/or retaliate by increasing Lite-On's cost for the Blu-ray components (like the BD-ROM pick-up heads) purchased from Sony. Whatever the result, the competition would be nothing but good news for consumers of HD media... you know, if the rumor is true.

Ok, here we go again. Despite Microsoft's attempt to quash Xbox 360 Blu-ray rumors, they're back... with a vengeance. According to "industry sources" speaking to DigiTimes, Lite-On is developing built-in Blu-ray Disc drives for the "next generation" Xbox 360 game console. Lite-On is expected to begin shipping the new BD players for assembly in the second half of 2008. DigiTimes also claims that the new, presumably smaller Xbox 360 will reduce the power supply from 210-watts to 170-watts. So... care to comment, Microsoft?

Update: As noted by our readers, Falcon-based 360s are already running at 175-watts.

Yeah, just another Blu-ray drive for your perusal: this one, called the DX-4O1S, reads at 4x, and will be the first by Philips and Lite-On Digital Solutions, that joint venture formed about a year ago. Exciting stuff, this; due out next quarter.

The list of internal Blu-ray burners hitting the test bench just keeps on growing, and if you've been holding off on picking one up as prices begin to sink, here's yet another to mull over. Lite-On's LH-2B1S Blu-ray writer doesn't deviate too much from its major competitors, sports a 2x maximum write speed to BD-R and BR-RE single-layer discs, and toasts up to 8x on certain formats of writable DVDs. The unit was tested using Nero CD/DVD Speed v4.70, and was primarily pitted against Sony's own BWU-100A. During traditional transfer rate testing, the Lite-On lagged behind in average transfer speeds, random seek times, and full stroke times, while actually using more CPU power all the while. Interestingly, the LH-2B1S' write performance was better on vanilla DVD+Rs, marginally slower on DVD+R dual-layer, and a wee bit less quick than the Sony burning to BD-RE. As expected, reviewers weren't mauling crowds at their local retail shop in order to grab on of their own as the ho hum performance really wasn't groundbreaking, but if you've got to have such a unit this very moment in time, the comparatively cheap $499 pricetag still makes the LH-2B1S a viable option.

Microsoft announced today that it has partnered with Broadcom to create a reference design for a low cost HD DVD player. With Windows CE-based software and Broadcom's BCM7440 system-on-a-chip based hardware the idea is to give volume manufacturers a chance to drive prices down faster than Blu-ray can match. Lite-On IT and Zhenjiang Jiangkui Group Co. Ltd./ED Digital are already on deck to build players based on the design, for this war not to be over already HD DVD is going to need every bit of price and manufacturing advantage it can get.

The North American HD DVD Promotional Group took advantage of its press event to spread the good news about HD DVD, noting that over 300 additional HD DVD titles should be arriving in 2007. As of January 5th, the group estimates there were more than 175,000 HD DVD players sold in America, with an annualized attach rate of 28 movies per player. The group projects sales will reach 2.5 million players by the end of this year and more than $600 million worth of movie revenues. HD DVD buyers can look forward to more HDi enhanced titles, now featuring internet features that were demoed at the event, as well as more players hitting the market from manufacturers like Lite-On, Alco, Alpine, Meridian and Onkyo. Look for the trend of combo releases to continue, as the format's backers see it as a viable way of introducing current DVD owners to the format and building a library prior to upgrading. With Sony already hitting 1 million PS3s shipped and HD via IPTV picking up steam HD DVD surely has its work cut out for it in 2007 but with a slew of reference quality releases and enhanced hardware offerings they expect to hit all their goals.

That was quick. We just received word a few days ago that Lite-On was making HD DVD drives but wondered if they were going to receive any OEM orders from big players in the HD DVD camp. They received a order and it sure is from a big player -- Toshiba. The key HD DVD player ordered these units so it can concentrate on producing slim-line HD DVD drives which we assume are for their laptops. Lite-On is expecting the production lines to ramp up to full power by March of '07 so don't expect any of these drives for Christmas this year. Lite-On might also receive another big order from Microsoft to power their Xbox 360 drive but that is still in the speculation category right now.

While we're still waiting for Toshiba -- or anyone else -- to start selling HD DVD burners Stateside, one of the largest Taiwanese manufacturers, Lite-On, has announced they will begin producing HD DVD burners in March 2007. They're not picking a side however, as they've already begun making Blu-ray recordable drives. Digitimes notes Toshiba has been very active in courting Taiwanese manufacturers to the HD DVD side, we'll see if this bears worthwhile fruit. Luckily for HD DVD, considering the current price of most Blu-ray burners, for most consumers they may as well not be on the shelves either.