The phenonmenon reffered to as comming on cam refers to the rpm level where inlet charge speeds are high enough to significantly increase the level of VE. So sorry to some, the F4R 7XX series comes on cam at about 4500rpm. its VVT mechanism however advances the cam anywhere above 1500rpm when at full load, dephases it when not on the throttle and on overrun.
The VVT system in the 172/cup advances the inlet cam 16 deg as stated via a pahse shifter on the inlet cam that runs of oil pressure (activated by a plinger solenoid ontop of the head), it does not alter lift or duration, just the timing of the inlet valve opening and closing points relative to the crankshaft position.
VTEC systems (ill limit my talks to the better and more modern 3 stage system as the 2 stage is old and no point talking about it) Use 3 cams per cylinder.
The high cam or big lobe is in the middle of the 3, and there is a less racey middle cam onthe right of it, and a low cam on the left of it. There is 1 finger follower per cam, so 3 per assembly, built onto an oil feed rail, which they pivot off, with 1 oil inlet. At all times each follower is tracing its respective cam lobe. At low rpm each roller is independant and only the low and mid cam is lifting the valve. Thus there is one low lift and one mid lift cam (duration and timing also alter with cam lobes). When rpm incrases the Vtec solenoid ont eh side of the head passes oil pressure through and a pin locks the low cam follower onto the md cam follower so you get 2 mid cams effectively, or its what the valve and cylinders see. At high rpm all followers are locked together via another set of pins in the lower part of the rocker, so the valves are running off the high cam in the middle only and the followers aret actually touching the low and mid cam.
This is the basic 3 stage Vtec, but cars like the S2000 with the F20C and the CTR with he K90 use a slightly different system where the low and mid cams are the same. The finger follower is also slightly different where teh cam is onto rather than below and is less complex.
VTEC is simply activvated by rpm only, not throttle position.
Toyotas VVTL-i uses both phasing and cam changing. The cam can pahse like a 172, and it runs 2 cam lobes per cylinder, and they swap between each other when the ECU decides, dependant on rpm, throttle position.
I have an S2000 head so if the mods/admin want im quite happy to do a full how it works with pics and the lot if there is enough interest. Even though its a Honda head and technology. Its rather facinating, since its all in peices.