Video conferencing company Polycom will tomorrow announce the iPower 9000 series of PC-based interactive video communications applications, including the iPower 9800 multimedia workstation.

It is designed with value added resellers and systems integrators in mind providing integration of high quality video and audio into specialist meeting environments.

The iPower 9800 provides a complete high-end video communications and data collaboration system, including high-resolution application and data sharing and the ability to present information via a web browser during a video call.

"The difference is this is not a dedicated videoconferencing appliance," said Ned Semonite, vice president of product management at Polycom. "Value added resellers can use it for their own applications such as directory and full conference room control."

Andy Nillsen, senior analyst and partner at videoconferencing analyst Wainhouse Research, said: "The iPower 9000 fills a space. Being rack-mounted, it fits much better into a custom conference room system and has lots of connectivity, especially on the IP side it should be interesting to resellers."

The systems are due for shipping at the end of November. The i9800 will cost approximately £14,133, and the iPower Codec £9,850.

The 12-port IP MCU Software option will cost £5,000 and this will also be introduced for the earlier iPower 900 and 600 series in the first quarter of 2003.