I need to put a camera just outside my office door to monitor the comings and goings of employees. All of about 7 feet away. Basically need to see when they're signing in and out. You know the drill, if they're on time, they stand closer to the door to be seen. If they're late, or sneaking out early they're quiet as a ninja, and stay well away from the door.

Because of the giant multilayered institutional bureaucracy (GMIB) it would be easier to have it go straight to my phone.

because GMIB I won't be able view it on my computer, and would likely not be able to use a wifi.

I'd love something without a monthly subscription, which so far most of the cheap bluetooth cams seem to have, but since this would all be out of pocket, I'd rather not.
(It doesn't need to be wireless, something hard wired with a monitor would work, but unlikely to be cheap enough.)

I don't want to do this "officially" because it would take many many months, multi departmental approval/involvement, and it's also a box I don't want to open. Don't need some higher up saying "That's a great idea, lets put them everywhere..."

Figured I'd throw it out there and ask. If this were a normal place, it would be simple enough. But you can't change anything on your computer here, you don't have the proper "rights", can't download or install any software, can't add any hardware.

Recording employees at work without prior notifications and possibly their consent may not be legal.

Move the time clock

They are recorded all day, every day, everywhere they go (as well as electronically tracked through card access every time they enter a building). They're on camera everywhere but where they sign in and out.

I have no intention of recording them.

Frankly a window would work just as well, but I can't install one where it would need to be.

Sounds like moving the time clock is ideal. Dear employees. To make signing in and out of work easier, we have moved the time clock to the wall in between the women's and men's restrooms.

Bluetooth is not a good medium for video, you would be better served with wifi (even though I don't generally recommend this either) or wired to lan.
Another issue is maintaining power to the device and storage of videos.
Good Luck.

If you are not going to record then you might as well just put up a dummy camera pointing at the time clock. Or maybe a big poster "Big Brother is Watching YOU!"

Blink will do what you want. WOOT! periodically offers a really good deal on them. No subscription required, videos are recorded to a memory card in the sync module (controller, hub) and are available to review on the phone app.

I had a couple in the hangar at the airport. My wife has a bunch around the outside of the house so that she can see the wildlife.

I was looking at baby monitors on Amazon, even that would work. (and be very fitting lol)

Don't need to record, don't need distance or remote access, don't need high quality. Just need to be able to see through a wall. One of those large "peephole" viewers would even work, but making a big hole in the wall wouldn't go over well.

Trying to avoid the wide angle corner mirror option (for reasons I won't go into. Which is sad since I have big box of elevator corner mirrors just sitting there not doing anything.

BLINK cameras. Battery power, wifi to your phone.

If you don't have official permission from the GMIB to put in the camera, what are you hoping to do with the info/images/video?

The bureaucracies I've worked for would take a dim view of any using any unauthorized stuff for employee monitoring or tracking.

RE: the actual question. Blinks are simple and easy. Ours records, though, and so if you are sure you don't want to record you may want to see if you can disable that feature.

Www.mywaggle.com came across my feed today. Looks like an affordable cellular connected camera to keep an eye on pets.

quote:

Originally posted by joel9507:
...what are you hoping to do with the info/images/video?

To say.. in real time "Don't forget to sign in for 8:15 Steve." as they are quietly trying to sign in as if they were on time.

I think Blink will let you talk through the camera as well so it should work.

If I were you, though....I'd clear this up the chain. The employees being nudged to follow the rules may well agitate about why/how this is happening - you may not want to have your superiors surprised if/when that were to happen.