In media streaming, the Presentation Timestamp (PTS) is a time value used to indicate the intended display time of a frame or a video sample in a multimedia stream. It represents the time at which the corresponding frame should be presented to the viewer. The PTS is expressed in units of time, such as milliseconds or 90 kHz clock cycles, and it is stored in the header of the video stream's packets.
The PTS plays an important role in ensuring that the video is displayed at the correct speed, in the correct order, and without any stuttering or skipping. It allows the decoder to determine the proper display order of frames, and to synchronize audio and video tracks if the stream contains multiple media tracks.
In addition, the PTS also helps the streaming server to manage the flow of data to the client. The server can use the PTS to determine the rate at which to send the video packets to the client, in order to ensure smooth playback.
Overall, the PTS is an essential component of media streaming, and plays a crucial role in delivering high-quality multimedia experiences to the viewer.