A method and device are disclosed for calculating estimated time stamps ìt in video distribution apparatus, MPEG-2 program encoders, multiplexers, splicers. True times Yt of a data packet number t having the linear form: Yt=Yt−1+&bgr;t, &bgr;t=&bgr;t−1+&eegr;t, with &eegr;t being a small perturbation relative to the linear relation between time and packet number. The true times of data packet number t are observed as: ot=Yt+&egr;t, where &egr;t is an observational error. The estimated time stamps are produced according to: ìt=ìt−1+&bgr;t and such that the value of &bgr;t is made dependent on the exceeding by #ot−ìt−1−&bgr;t−1 # of max[&egr;t]. The results are accurate and smooth estimated time stamps.