To launch the new features the company invited a select group of architects, consultants and systems integrators to attend a special seminar hosted aboard Will, a former Thames river sailing barge.

The purpose of the seminar was to update clients about the latest developments and new capabilities of ViP, Comelit’ video Internet protocol door entry system. As part of the event, guests were also treated to a clay pigeon shoot, as well as food and beverages, as they navigated their way along the River Thames in central London.

During the event on the Thames, Comelit also demonstrated its commitment to investing in new products and technology by unveiling two new additions to its range of modern IP entrance panels: the 3-One-6 Analogue and the Red Dot Design award-winning 3-One-6 Sense, both of which were available for demonstration to guests on board the barge.

The overall objective of the seminar was to help attendees embrace the concept of IP door entry systems as a whole. Comelit’s VIP system is fully IP-based – an external unit and building riser, as well as the monitor in each apartment, which is a fully functioning IP device in its own right. In comparison with traditional analogue or closed systems, the VIP system offers a host of additional benefits that are designed to enhance performance and simplify the installation process.

VIP is a peer-to-peer system (non-server based), thus eliminating any central point of failure and, according to the company there are no-limits to its performance - the VIP is able to connect an infinite number of users in simultaneous audio and video conversations, with no distance limitations. There are also no restrictions on the number of entrance panels and monitors in the system. The system can be expanded as necessary to accommodate new buildings within a site-wide complex. In comparison, analogue systems can be more complex and time-consuming to modify or expand, which can add significantly to the cost of installation and upgrades.

In addition VIP uses a CAT5 cable network to which all devices can be connected simply via an RJ45 plug. This adds to the ease of installation and requires little or no IT skills to programme the system.  It also incorporates video entry, intruder alarm, CCTV, home automation and access control on a single platform.

The dual application options mean that VIP can be used to create either a dedicated, proprietary network, or alternatively it can be integrated into an existing LAN, creating a video entry system that runs in parallel with other digital devices and services – and requires no additional cabling infrastructure.  The system also allows text and image messages to be sent from the concierge or remote software, in the form of the company's Communications Manager feature, to apartment video monitors.

Francesca Boeris, Sales Director, Comelit UK, said of the seminar, "This event is now firmly established in our event calendar as an opportunity to update our customer base about our continually evolving full-IP door entry system, VIP. Our aim is to help our clients realise the benefits of Comelit’s IP technology and the fact that it is now a real alternative to traditional analogue systems.”

VIP can be used in many commercial applications, but is particularly well suited to high-volume residential buildings, schools, hospitals and offices since these facilities already have their own LAN network. To create a high-performance video entry phone system, the external and internal VIP units are simply connected to the existing LAN network. This enables authorised users to be ‘present’ at all times without physically being onsite.

The system can also be used to identify and assist visitors remotely by broadcasting, over long distances, audio and text messages from a central unit. In short, the VIP system eliminates the problems associated with onsite and remote services that most traditional analogue systems have hitherto been unable to overcome.