# Getting Camera Time though aravissrc gst plugin

**URL:** <https://aravis-project.discourse.group/t/getting-camera-time-though-aravissrc-gst-plugin/975>\
**Category:** Using Aravis\
**Created:** [February 14, 2026, 8:47am UTC](https://aravis-project.discourse.group/t/getting-camera-time-though-aravissrc-gst-plugin/975 "2026-02-14T08:47:36Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Amith\_R](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/aravis-project.discourse.group/amith_r/32/385_2.png) [@Amith\_R](https://aravis-project.discourse.group/u/Amith_R)\
**Post date:** [February 14, 2026, 8:47am UTC](https://aravis-project.discourse.group/t/getting-camera-time-though-aravissrc-gst-plugin/975/1 "2026-02-14T08:47:36Z")

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Hi ,  
I am using aravissrc gst plugin to fully access cam functionality of **Baumer VCXU-2.32C** camera.  
Few queries related to timestamp attachment in gst pipelines.  
When “do-timestamp“ is enabled , aravissrc attaches current monotonic time , and when it is disabled, timestamp is decoded through

_timestamp\_ns = arv\_buffer\_get\_timestamp (arv\_buffer);  
if (!base\_src\_does\_timestamp) {  
if (gst\_aravis-\>timestamp\_offset == 0) {  
gst\_aravis-\>timestamp\_offset = timestamp\_ns;  
gst\_aravis-\>last\_timestamp = timestamp\_ns;  
}  
GST\_BUFFER\_PTS (\*buffer) = timestamp\_ns - gst\_aravis-\>timestamp\_offset;  
GST\_BUFFER\_DURATION (\*buffer) = timestamp\_ns - gst\_aravis-\>last\_timestamp;  
gst\_aravis-\>last\_timestamp = timestamp\_ns;  
}_

i was wondering why the timestamp offset (first frame time) is subtracted here .  
**is the PTS time with respect to the first frame that aravissrc gets?**  
I am basically trying to get the camera time which comes along with Chunk Data when _ChunkModeActive=1  
ChunkSelector=Timestamp  
ChunkEnable=1_  
Thanks.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Emmanuel](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/aravis-project.discourse.group/emmanuel/32/198_2.png) [@Emmanuel](https://aravis-project.discourse.group/u/Emmanuel)\
**Post date:** [February 25, 2026, 8:40am UTC](https://aravis-project.discourse.group/t/getting-camera-time-though-aravissrc-gst-plugin/975/2 "2026-02-25T08:40:46Z")

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Hi,

> [@Amith\_R](#):
>
> i was wondering why the timestamp offset (first frame time) is subtracted here .  
> **is the PTS time with respect to the first frame that aravissrc gets?**

This code was written a long time ago, being mostly an adaptation of an existing plugin. I’m pretty sure I did not think much about the meaning of the buffer timestamp. I guess the buffer timestamp of a live stream must start with 0, but I’m not sure.

> [@Amith\_R](#):
>
> I am basically trying to get the camera time which comes along with Chunk Data when _ChunkModeActive=1  
> ChunkSelector=Timestamp  
> ChunkEnable=1_

That should normally be the same as the timestamp of a buffer without chunk mode enabled. For what purpose do you want this timestamp ?