Comelit Announces Software Update To ViP

Earlier this month, Comelit UK, the Hertfordshire-based division of the global Comelit Group, 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's market-leading 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.

New Call Logging Software
At the seminar, Comelit staff introduced the company's new Call Logging Software, which enables the interception and recording of Video and Audio between the entrance panels and internal monitors. The software also records a log of who called, the duration of the call and who released the door.

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 stylish and 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.

Full-IP Video Door Entry System
The overall objective of the seminar was not merely to update customers about the new software and hardware that have been added to the ViP range, but also to help them embrace the concept of IP door entry systems as a whole. Comelit's ViP system is fully IP-based - 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 enhance performance and simplify the installation process.

Some of the major benefits of ViP include:

• Reliability - is a peer-to-peer system (non-server based), thus eliminating any central point of failure.

• No-limits performance - connects 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 are more complex and time-consuming to modify or expand, which can add significantly to the cost of installation and upgrades.

• Plug and Play ­- 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.

• Integration - incorporates video entry, intruder alarm, CCTV, home automation and access control on a single platform.

• Dual Application Options - can be used to create either a dedicated, proprietary network, or else 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.

• Messaging - allows text and image messages to be sent from the concierge or remote software, in the form of our Communications Manager, 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."

A Wide Range Of Applications
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 you 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 traditional analogue systems have hitherto been unable to overcome.