Long story short, I have an NVR at my home with a handful of POE Cameras that are all outdoors (driveway, front porch, backyard, etc.). I would like to install a few more POE Cameras, but this time inside so I can check on the pets while away, make sure everything is fine, etc. when not home.

For obvious privacy reasons, I don’t want the inside cameras to record while we are home walking around in pajamas. lol My though was we have a Vista 20p alarm, so I can setup relays that turn on/off based on if the alarm system is armed or disarmed. I was thinking I could cut each ethernet cable for each inside camera and connect the video through the relay…that way when the alarm is armed the video feed is connected and the NVR records and I can see it remotely. And then when we come home and disarm the alarm, the relay opens and the video feed is interrupted.

What are your thoughts on this? It seems like a messy way of doing it, but I can’t think of any other easier way? I don’t want to record on a schedule or anything because then the cameras can still be seen remotely plus each day varies when we will be home or away. I figured this would be a common problem with an easy solution, but I guess not?