User:Munin295/Transmission circuit

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Horizontal transmission
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Single-line transmission
When transmitting signals over a single line, generally all that matters is whether the output signal strength is important (analog) or whether all that matters is whether it's on or not (bit).

Bit transmission
A bit transmission consists of a single line whose input and output states are either on or off.

Analog transmission
The simplest analog line is a line of redstone comparators. However, like repeaters, comparators can draw a signal from an opaque block and push a signal into an opaque block, thus it is usually more efficient (in resources, and in signal delay) to place comparators every four blocks:

The analog signal in this line can be reduced or suppressed at some point along its length by feeding another signal into one of the comparators in subtraction mode. The signal can be overridden by feeding a stronger signal into one of the opaque blocks.

Because the redstone dust is not adjacent to any power or transmission components, only opaque blocks, it will not configure itself to point in any particular direction. This will cause the dust to also power any opaque blocks or mechanism components to the side of the analog line. Transmission components (redstone dust, redstone comparators, etc.) should not be placed adjacent to the line's dust because that would cause the dust to configure itself in a way where it doesn't power the rest of the analog line.

Multi-line transmission
A multi-line transmission involves "encoding" values or information across multiple transmission lines.

BCD encoding
A "Binary-coded decimal" (BCD) line consists of two or more bit lines run in parallel, with each line representing a different digit in a binary number. For example, four lines might individually represent binary 0001 (i.e., decimal 1), binary 0010 (decimal 2), binary 0100 (decimal 4), and binary 1000 (decimal 8) -- allowing them together to represent any number from decimal 0 to 15 (by summing their values).

An analog line and a 4-line BCD can carry the same amount of information. The 4-line BCD takes up much more space, but is much faster over long distances, not requiring 1-tick-delay comparators every four blocks.

Unary encoding
An "unary" transmission line consists of two or more bit lines run in parallel, with the value transmitted represented by the number of lines powered (e.g., the value 3 might be encoded by having three of eight lines being turned on).

The term "unary" is also sometimes used for encoding a value by which line is powered, instead of how many lines are powered (e.g., the value 3 might be encoded by having only the third line of eight turned on).

Unary encoding is rarely used for transmitting values, but may be used for inputs (e.g., which, or how many, levers are turned on) or outputs (e.g., which, or how many, dispensers are triggered), with conversion to or from a more efficient transmission method in between.

Vertical Transmission
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Redstone staircases
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Redstone ladders
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Torch towers
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Piston towers
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Miscellaneous vertical transmission
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Repeaters
To "repeat" a signal means to boost it back up to full strength. Signal strength decreases as it propagates along a wire of redstone dust and must be repeated after 15 blocks (but see Horizontal Transmission below for methods to get a couple blocks of transmission between repeaters).

The common method of repeating a signal is to use a redstone repeater. Using a block before and after the repeater (see Bit Transmission), this method of repeating a signal averages 18 redstone used per 18 blocks (15 redstone dust, and 3 redstone per repeater) and 1 tick delay per 18 blocks.

When crossing long distances, redstone torches can also be used, simply allowing the signal to be inverted an even number of times during its journey. Torch repeaters use slightly less redstone than redstone repeaters (16 redstone per 17 blocks) but are slightly slower (1 tick delay per 17 blocks).

Instant repeaters
An instant repeater is a circuit which repeats a redstone signal change with no delay. A sequence of instant repeaters and redstone dust lines is known as instawire.

Two-way repeaters


A two-way repeater (a.k.a. "bi-directional repeater") is a circuit which can repeat a signal in either direction. Two-way repeaters have two inputs that also act as outputs. Typically the problem to be solved is repeating the signal in either direction without repeating the signal back into the same input which could create a clock or a permanently-powered repeater loop.

Diodes
Another important aspect of signal transmission is making sure a signal doesn't go the wrong way. "Diodes" are redstone components or circuits which allow signals to propagate in one direction but not the other.

Diode components
Both the redstone repeater and the redstone comparator behave as diodes. …

Diode circuits
Glowstone and upside-down slabs (along with components less frequently used in diode circuits, such as upside-down stairs and hoppers) have the property that redstone dust on top of them can propagate signals diagonally upwards, but not diagonally downwards. Thus, simply jumping the signal up one block to glowstone or an upside-down slab creates a diode circuit (to get it back to the same level, run the line over an opaque block before dropping it).