  In this paper, we study the convergence in variation for the generalized
sampling operators based upon averaged-type kernels and we obtain a
characterization of absolutely continuous functions. This result is proved
exploiting a relation between the first derivative of the above operator acting
on $f$ and the sampling Kantorovich series of f'. By such approach, also a
variation detracting-type property is established. Finally, examples of
averaged kernels are provided, such as the central B-splines of order $n$
(duration limited functions) or other families of kernels generated by the
Fejer and the Bochner-Riesz kernels (bandlimited functions).
