Lite-On Europe sent out a press release this morning, announcing its new Blu-ray combo drive. The iHES206 reads single layer Blu-ray discs at 6x and is capable of 16x DVD±R, 8x DVD±R DL, 8x DVD+RW, 6x DVD-RW and 12x DVD-RAM writing speeds. The drive is scheduled to ship in November for an estimated retail price of 139 euro.

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Lite-On proudly introduces its 6X internal Blu-ray Disc Combo, iHES206. The new Blu-ray Disc Reader plus DVD Writer provides consumers an all-in-one solution to playback high definition content, while maintaining the capability of archiving data onto CD or DVD.

The Lite-On iHES206 with Serial ATA interface is a great solution for enthusiasts who wish to enjoy the advanced technologies of Blu-ray in home entertainment. It will not only allow them to play high-definition content such as Blu-ray movies, it will also provide users all the advantages of a DVD Writer.

The iHES206 is capable of recording on today’s most popular DVD and CD media in the market, and playback from media such as Blu-ray Discs, DVD, and CD. The drive can read BD-R/RE/ROM discs at 6X (Double Layer at 4X). It can write DVD±R at 16X, DVD±R DL and DVD+RW at 8X, DVD-RW at 6X and DVD-RAM at 12X.

With a BD writer and an internal and external BD-ROM already in its product portfolio, Lite-On is determined to fulfill the growing demand for more Blu-ray compatible products. “Now that Blu-ray is becoming a widely accepted and popular format for High Definition video playback, we want to offer the consumer another solution to enjoy Blu-ray on their PC,” says Jelmer Veldman, Marketing Manager for Lite-On in Europe. “This BD-COMBO is the perfect upgrade for those users who want to playback High Definition movies on their PC.”

The iHES206 is equipped with LightScribe disc labeling technology that allows users to burn custom made silkscreen labels with any type of artwork right onto the surface of the LightScribe-supported CD or DVD. Users simply burn data as always onto the data side of any LightScribe-compatible media, then flip the disc over, reinsert it into the drive and burn a beautiful label based on personal artwork, text or photographs. The LightScribe software eliminates the need for printers, permanent markers or adhesive labels and provides a clean, professional appearance that adds to the final touch to your perfect creation. LightScribe CDs and DVDs are widely available on the market in different colors.

Availability of the iHES206 is scheduled from November 2008 and the estimated retail price is 139 euro.