User:Munin295/Transmission circuit

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BCD transmission
A "Binary-coded decimal" (BCD) line consists of two or more binary lines run in parallel, with each line representing a different digit in a binary number. For example, four lines might represent 1, 2, 4, and 8 -- allowing them together to represent any number from 0 to 15. Although a 4-line BCD takes up more space than an analog line (below), they are much faster, not requiring 1-tick delay comparators every four blocks.

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.

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.

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 creating a clock or permanently-powered repeater loop.


 * Flat two-way repeater
 * This circuit does not have a traditional input or output, but rather two spots which serve as both input and output, depending on what is attached to them. Whenever either one of them is receiving power, the other one is also receiving power. Whenever one of them is off, both are off.
 * Also, this circuit tells you the direction the signal is flowing. Of the two torches which appear unlit in the diagram, whenever the circuit is powered, one will be lit. It will be the only lit torch in the circuit, and it will face the direction the power is moving. Thus, if there is an input from A, the bottom-right torch will be lit.

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).