Hacking a webcam?

tommydog · 18 Jun 2021 at 09:27

I have a HP Elitebook 840r G4 laptop running windows 10 which is provided by my work. I hate squinting at a small screen, so have the laptop hooked up to a 27 inch 4k monitor via usb C (LG 27UL850). I am happy with this setup, however I have to frequently use the webcam for meetings. The problem is I have to have the laptop open just to use the webcam, which takes up added space on my desk. Therefore I need an external webcam that I can position on top of my 27 inch monitor.

The problem is, I don’t have admin rights on the laptop, and there is no way my employers would grant admin rights. The computer is very much locked down and I can’t install printer drivers etc. (they seem to have removed all drivers from the system that are not used) Therefore I don’t think many external webcams would work. One thing I thought of doing was buying the exact same webcam module that is installed in the laptop and soldering a USB plug on the end. A few youtube videos detail this. I wonder if this would work, as the drivers would already be installed on the work computer for that particular webcam? The problem is the webcam modules are quite expensive and I am currently staying away from home without any tools.

Maybe there is a simpler option? Device manager in windows details the following for the webcam:
HP HD Camera (Realtek) HP Universal Camera Driver (driver version 10.0.1629920018)

I wonder if I could buy a USB webcam off the shelf that is of identical underlying hardware and uses the same driver - but what model would this be? What is the best approach with this, are there any other hacks I could utilise?

OldKitMan · 18 Jun 2021 at 09:30

The best approach would be to discuss the issue with your employer and ask them to either supply a webcam or allow you to buy one and get someone in IT who has admin rights to install the drivers.

Anything else is opening yourself up to all manners of potential disciplinary action IMO.

chroniclard · 18 Jun 2021 at 09:32

Simply ask IT.....

tommydog · 18 Jun 2021 at 09:38

OldKitMan said:
The best approach would be to discuss the issue with your employer and ask them to either supply a webcam or allow you to buy one and get someone in IT who has admin rights to install the drivers.

It won't happen, they have a blanket policy with no discretion. 100% will not happen. Even senior management struggle to get any sort of flexibility. As for disciplinary action, there is no term in the IT policy which prohibits plugging in an external webcam (I have this item downloaded).

Is the approach of finding a camera module from the same laptop and soldering a usb plug on the end, the most likely approach to work. My thinking is if the system already has those drivers then it may have a chance of working?

Oh Ed not again. · 18 Jun 2021 at 09:47

Would it not just be easier to put the laptop in a better position so it can be used as a webcam? Side stand or something like that?

Then run the laptop as as second screen for Teams calls or whatever and use the 27" for productivity. How much time do you spend on VC anyway?

Deleted member 77746 · 18 Jun 2021 at 09:49

They would just remote in to install the drivers, or I would hope so anyway. :rolleyes:

Explain to them the situation and they might buy one for you then install it.

tommydog · 18 Jun 2021 at 09:50

randal said:
How much time do you spend on VC anyway?

I have to be available on teams for the entire time of my working shift. I can spend a few hours on there every day, and don't know when people will contact me on there. Plus it looks weird if I have the laptop open and am looing at the large screen away from the webcam.

tommydog · 18 Jun 2021 at 09:52

Bouton Aide said:
They would just remote in to install the drivers

They will not install any drivers. It's a big no. There is zero flexibility. There was even one guy who was disabled and needed assistive software installed. They refused to do that. There was lawyers involved and everything, but they still refused. In the end the company was sued in court and they had to pay the guy compensation. I can't repeat enough - there is zero flexibility

It's a technical question I am asking and not how to deal with my IT department.

If the drivers are already installed - is a module from the same laptop likely to work with a soldered usb plug on the end?

Deleted member 77746 · 18 Jun 2021 at 09:53

tommydog said:
If the drivers are already installed - is a module from the same laptop likely to work with a soldered usb plug on the end?

No lol and why would IT not install drivers, it's their ******* job unless it's due to politics..

Donnie Fisher · 18 Jun 2021 at 10:01

Have you plugged in a cheap usb webcam and tried it? Many usb webcams are generic driver driven as default camera device and need no bespoke drivers. In fact the laptops camera could even be under the same driver type.

chroniclard · 18 Jun 2021 at 10:03

Sounds like its easier to buy a bigger desk.

tommydog · 18 Jun 2021 at 10:04

Bouton Aide said:
No lol

Why would it not work? They have the same approach with printers and I went a purchased the exact same model of printer that they have in the office and bang it worked at home, as the drivers were already on the system.

tommydog · 18 Jun 2021 at 10:07

Donnie Fisher said:
Many usb webcams are generic driver driven as default camera device and need no bespoke drivers. In fact the laptops camera could even be under the same driver type.

They have stripped nearly all of the drivers from the system for any hardware that they have not setup. As an example, nearly all of the generic printer drivers are stripped from the system. To get printing to work I went and purchased the exact same model of printer that they have in the office, as I knew those drivers were installed on the system, and to my surprise it worked.

Deleted member 77746 · 18 Jun 2021 at 10:46

tommydog said:
They have stripped nearly all of the drivers from the system for any hardware that they have not setup. As an example, nearly all of the generic printer drivers are stripped from the system. To get printing to work I went and purchased the exact same model of printer that they have in the office, as I knew those drivers were installed on the system, and to my surprise it worked.

What a joke.

HangTime · 18 Jun 2021 at 11:45

If their IT policies are really as stringent as you say then presumably breaking out the soldering iron and jerry-rigging external devices isn't going to go down that well even if it isn't explicitly prohibited in the documentation (I would be surprised if there isn't some catch-all about "attempting to circumvent these policies blah blah" or similar anyway). USB ports supply power, do they really want people plugging in some random homemade device that's been spliced together?

I actually have a similar problem (bad eyesight, like using a monitor, need webcam for video calls) but it's not that serious that I would resort to hacking around. I mean is having the laptop on the desk really that big a deal, surely having the extra screen is of benefit anyway for running Teams, making notes or whatever.

Yes the 'looking at another screen' isn't a perfect aesthetic but plenty of people do it, probably no worse than when I'm squinting or faffing about on a tiny screen trying to share the right windows etc.

d_brennen · 18 Jun 2021 at 17:30

USB camera drivers are probably in Windows already. Just by the Chineseiest webcam you can find, not anything fancy

t31os · 19 Jun 2021 at 12:32

Put the monitor on an arm and have the laptop underneath it?