diff --git a/tests/config.py b/tests/config.py
deleted file mode 100644
index e6023a0..0000000
--- a/tests/config.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-MOCK_TEST_MODE = True
diff --git a/tests/conftest.py b/tests/conftest.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..492bf15
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/conftest.py
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+# content of conftest.py
+from typing import Any
+
+import pytest
+
+
+def pytest_addoption(parser: Any) -> None:
+    parser.addoption(
+        "--hardware_mode",
+        action="store",
+        default="True",
+        help="Set to true to run tests on hardware (requires video signal)",
+    )
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def hardware_mode(request: Any) -> None:
+    try:
+        if request.config.getoption("--hardware") == "True":
+            print("Hardware test mode enabled")
+            request.cls.hardware_mode_is_set = True
+        elif request.config.getoption("--hardware") == "False":
+            print("Hardware test mode disabled")
+            request.cls.hardware_mode_is_set = False
+        else:
+            raise ValueError("hardware_mode option must be set to either 'True' or 'False'")
+    except ValueError:
+        print("Hardware test mode disabled")
+        request.cls.hardware_mode_is_set = False
diff --git a/tests/test_capture_controller.py b/tests/test_capture_controller.py
index 5e96c7a..f38ad1c 100644
--- a/tests/test_capture_controller.py
+++ b/tests/test_capture_controller.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 from time import perf_counter
 from unittest import TestCase
 
+import pytest
 from numpy import diff, array
 
 from pymagewell.pro_capture_controller import ProCaptureController
@@ -8,17 +9,18 @@
 from pymagewell.pro_capture_device.device_interface import ProCaptureDeviceInterface
 from pymagewell.pro_capture_device.device_settings import ProCaptureSettings, TransferMode
 from pymagewell.pro_capture_device.mock_pro_capture_device import MockProCaptureDevice
-from tests.config import MOCK_TEST_MODE
 
 
+@pytest.mark.usefixtures("hardware_mode")
 class TestCaptureController(TestCase):
     def setUp(self) -> None:
         device_settings = ProCaptureSettings()
         device_settings.transfer_mode = TransferMode.TIMER
-        if MOCK_TEST_MODE:
-            self._device: ProCaptureDeviceInterface = MockProCaptureDevice(device_settings)
+        assert hasattr(self, "hardware_mode_is_set")
+        if self.hardware_mode_is_set:  # type: ignore
+            self._device: ProCaptureDeviceInterface = ProCaptureDevice(device_settings)
         else:
-            self._device = ProCaptureDevice(device_settings)
+            self._device = MockProCaptureDevice(device_settings)
 
         self._controller = ProCaptureController(device=self._device)
 
diff --git a/tests/test_device.py b/tests/test_device.py
index 5a79dc7..9f45e2d 100644
--- a/tests/test_device.py
+++ b/tests/test_device.py
@@ -3,22 +3,26 @@
 from time import perf_counter
 from unittest import TestCase
 
+import pytest
+
 from pymagewell.events.event import wait_for_event
 from pymagewell.pro_capture_device import ProCaptureDevice
 from pymagewell.pro_capture_device.device_interface import ProCaptureDeviceInterface
 from pymagewell.pro_capture_device.device_settings import ProCaptureSettings, TransferMode
 from pymagewell.pro_capture_device.mock_pro_capture_device import MockProCaptureDevice
-from tests.config import MOCK_TEST_MODE
 
 
+@pytest.mark.usefixtures("hardware_mode")
 class TestEvents(TestCase):
     def setUp(self) -> None:
         device_settings = ProCaptureSettings()
         device_settings.transfer_mode = TransferMode.TIMER
-        if MOCK_TEST_MODE:
-            self._device: ProCaptureDeviceInterface = MockProCaptureDevice(device_settings)
+
+        assert hasattr(self, "hardware_mode_is_set")
+        if self.hardware_mode_is_set:  # type: ignore
+            self._device: ProCaptureDeviceInterface = ProCaptureDevice(device_settings)
         else:
-            self._device = ProCaptureDevice(device_settings)
+            self._device = MockProCaptureDevice(device_settings)
 
     def tearDown(self) -> None:
         self._device.shutdown()
@@ -46,7 +50,11 @@ def test_schedule_timer_event(self) -> None:
         self._device.schedule_timer_event()
         wait_for_event(self._device.events.timer_event, timeout_ms=1000)
         time_waited = perf_counter() - second_frame_start_time
-        self.assertAlmostEqual(time_waited, expected_wait_time, 2)
+        if self.hardware_mode_is_set:  # type: ignore
+            self.assertAlmostEqual(time_waited, expected_wait_time, 3)
+        else:
+            # Mock mode timing is less accurate
+            self.assertAlmostEqual(time_waited, expected_wait_time, 1)
 
     def test_frame_transfer(self) -> None:
         transfer_buffer = create_string_buffer(3840 * 2160 * 4)