Talk:Tutorials/Block update detector

For Clarity
I cannot, for the love of anyone, go through all these to see which version each will and won't work in, so could we try to date them with versions and whatever else needed for that kinda thing? Sparx13 21:46, 27 March 2013 (UTC)

Please Avoid Videos
Can I request that people avoid inlining YouTube videos in the page and instead take the time to write a proper description with screenshots? The wiki should serve as a standalone written reference and should not depend on external videos. If you really think the video adds some unique value, add it as a reference or external link at the bottom of the page. Last username 14:18, 9 September 2012 (UTC)

List of BUD Designs?
Would it be useful to have a page where people can post their BUD design?

I agree that this page should be a description of what a BUD is and not an endless parade of videos, or even pictures, of the endless designs out there, but it might be useful for people looking for a BUD to fit their needs to have a single place to scan different designs rather than having to search through forums/YouTube. Munin295 20:59, 3 October 2012 (UTC)

New page
I created this page because I felt this information was lacking from the wiki. There is much more info on the topic. Please help expand this page. Smickles 01:22, 23 August 2011 (UTC)

What is a BUD Switch? An introduction paragraph would help, explaining what one is. --HexZyle 19:14, 23 August 2011 (UTC)
 * Thanks for making this page, it was on my list of things to do and it's an important redstone mechanism. I've never seen a rail powered rail style, do you have an image or video?Qcdynamics 23:06, 25 September 2011 (UTC)

Redstone Update Glitch
I observed that a bud switch can be be triggered by a redstone update an TWO block's away from the detector block.

(173.76.67.56 23:51, 3 April 2012 (UTC)) megaED

Tree growth
In response to this edit: http://www.minecraftwiki.net/index.php?title=Tutorials/Block_update_detector&curid=16349&diff=134098&oldid=134095

BUDs detect tree growth, at least both of the piston-based do. The water-based surely does not, and I don't know for sure why.

Cored's publishing of the discovery
I feel like this should link to the video, rather than the reddit post. Am I wrong here? –The preceding unsigned comment was added by Smickles (Talk . Please sign your posts with
 * My take on videos (and all external links in the tutorial section) is that they are only necessary if the information on the page doesn't (or can't) fully cover the material. Personally, I don't think that video adds anything, although a tutorial on how to build one would be appreciated.
 * I'm also not a huge fan of naming people who 'create' something like this since it is a community and generally not a single person's invention. I'm not saying he didn't create it on his own or anything, it's just not that useful to throw names around like they are the only important figure in the invention. I mean, isn't kiershar's furnace trap essentially a bud switch, albeit with a one time use? Qcdynamics 23:06, 25 September 2011 (UTC)
 * There's also Pistons: A revolution for Redstone Circuitry which demonstrates the piston bugs before cored's video was out. 69.181.24.252 23:06, 2 April 2012 (UTC)

More information or links needed
The list of things that BUDs can detect contains: "Dirt becoming tilled soil, soil becoming moist, soil reverting to dirt (but this can be more easily detected with a repeater)" The word "repeater" is linked, but there's no information on that page or this one about how a repeater an be used to detect these sorts of things. I think that information should be on this page, as such detection is similar to the function of a BUD switch (and is mentioned). I'd add the information myself, but I'm not sure how one could use a repeater to detect changes in dirt. --67.2.118.57 05:57, 25 December 2011 (UTC)

Farmland blocks don't conduct redstone power like solid blocks do. If you aim a repeater into one and connect a wire to it as well, then the signal will be passed if it is a Dirt block but not if it is a Farmland block. —KPReid 12:55, 25 December 2011 (UTC)

what blocks can the switches detect
I'm having some confusion with some switches which blocks can update and set off the switch cause my BUD's don't seem to work and I want to know what isn't working.--192.124.34.30 18:12, 15 February 2012 (UTC)

Bogus info
The one at the top of the page (the one with no pictures) is probably a fake, i see no way it could work and when i tested it, it didn't. Either some parts are missing from the description or it's just someone trolling.130.234.5.138 12:23, 21 April 2012 (UTC)

Having looked at it, I suspect there is supposed 5 redstone dust connecting the 'left' and 'right' redstone torches to the rear of the repeater. This makes the torches burn out, and then any updates to them make them turn on again. 176.25.200.43 21:18, 4 May 2012 (UTC)

I have tried making the redstone based BUD, as shown in File:Redstone wire bud2.png, however, it doesn't work. Tested in 1.3.2 SMP. Can anyone confirm this? For starters, the whole thing about the block being raised to maximize the exposure to block updates seems off, since there's only one side of the block that can actually detect updates; the rest is covered with redstone. 77.171.26.66 17:02, 1 September 2012 (UTC)

Redstone block as BUD
since redstone ore responds to some block updates, it would make since that a compact block made of refined redstone would either weakly or strongly power up when there is any kind block update. I should have said this to someone when i was at minecon... KingFlameTail 16:06, 27 November 2012 (UTC)


 * What block updates does redstone ore react to? --Munin295 18:19, 27 November 2012 (UTC)


 * Redstone ore doesn't react to block updates. It generates block updates when stepped on. You still need a BUD to transform that update into redstone signal. Sharfpang (talk) 12:46, 30 July 2019 (UTC)

Are they still bugs or not?
"The Block Update Detector, or "BUD switch", is a redstone mechanism that exploits bugs and quirks in the game..."

Are block update detectors still (1.4.7 currently) considered to be based on exploitation of bugs or not? What is the official statement on this? Is it true that they* are now considered by Mojang to be features?

* BUD switches and the bugs that make them possible to work.

94.69.31.87 20:17, 9 April 2013 (UTC) purple


 * Well, "quirks" could be anything (i.e., "quirk" can just mean "something interesting") so that's still valid, but I don't think the common BUDs should be considered to be based on bugs. Certainly connectivity is here to stay since Mojang added it to two more redstone components (dispensers and droppers) and stuck-piston BUDs don't really exploit any bugs except the fact that Minecraft keeps its updates simple ("fixing" the stuck-piston BUD would require block updates to propagate 14 blocks in all 6 directions, or would require a stuck piston to "post" notices to be told if its obstacle changes, etc.).
 * &mdash;Munin295 &middot; Book and Quill.png Stone Pickaxe.png &middot; 23:01, 9 April 2013 (UTC)

New BUD
I recently "discovered" a bud switch that may be a similar BUD that is listed here. If someone can help me find out which one it is, please post it in the MCForum link, thanks!  1caiser 00:53, 19 March 2013 (UTC) 94.69.31.87 20:19, 9 April 2013 (UTC)


 * That thread has been listed as closed by the OP (who has a different name than you've used here, so I can't tell if it's you).
 * The forum BUD is a piston-connectivity BUD (currently under the section Piston Based), but is not currently described on this page. The way your BUD is usually designed is to place a boat on top of both the pressure plate (instead of an item) and overlapping the block the piston is pushing (any block for a sticky piston, or sand or gravel for a regular piston) -- then when an update triggers the piston, it pushes the boat up, deactivating the pressure plate, which causes the piston to reset. The boat then falls back onto the plate, preparing the piston for the next update. I've seen these used in melon/pumpkin farms since you can get another piston to be activated horizontally diagonal to the first piston (a melon grows next to the primary piston and gets pushed off by the secondary piston).
 * &mdash;Munin295 &middot; Book and Quill.png Stone Pickaxe.png &middot; 23:01, 9 April 2013 (UTC)

Possible?
Could you create a simple, but unfortunately, one use BUD by placing an off state redstone torch? Sparx13 03:21, 8 April 2013 (UTC)


 * Yes, that works. However, this talk page is for discussing the Tutorials/Block update detector article, not for discussing Minecraft. The forums are a better place to ask questions like this. &mdash;Munin295 &middot; Book and Quill.png Stone Pickaxe.png &middot; 04:21, 8 April 2013 (UTC)

small BUD switch
place a piston, place two redstone blocks on top, then destroy them. you will get a simple block update detector. --Luckygamer101 23:41, 5 May 2013 (UTC)

How to avoid making a BUD
I'm in position where a circuit I've created is acting like a BUD (I have to pistons on top of each other and I'm trying to power them from above), any idea how I can avoid making a BUD or repeatedly trigger one?

Could any of these work in pocket?
Could any of these work In pocket edition 0.13.0 IOS release? Of course not those which use repeaters, comparators , dispensers , or Pistons since those aren't in pocket edition as of the date I posted this comment. Would any work? Boorider7 (talk) 19:52, 26 November 2015 (UTC)

Cleaning up/possibly removing this page
This page is mostly redundant because of observers, it should be reviewed to determine which of these BUDs still work, and possibly deleted if there are not useful designs that remain in the game.

Shape update detector (superior BUD type that works like an observer but can be visually hidden)
Why is the shape update detector not covered? It uses water to detect all the updates that an Observer can but other BUDs can't - and making it visually hidden. It's limitations are that it still makes piston sounds and it's slightly slower than an observer. It works by water logging a block next to whatever you want to observe (e.g. beds, doors etc.) and then on the horizontal or vertical layer on the direction of where the water will flow you put the following:

Simple shape update detector
Muskar2 (talk) 20:09, 2 May 2023 (UTC)