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Table of Contents

Introduction

The Basics

• Redstone Facts

• Switches

Making It Work

• The Power

• Repeaters

• Redstone Torches

• Powering it Up and Down

Circuits

• Basic Example

• OR/NOR Gates

• AND/NAND Gates

• XOR Gate

• RS NOR Latch

• Monostable Circuit

• T Flip-Flop

• Clocks

Conclusion

Downloadables

• Redstone Testing Map

• Downloads

• Quick Install Guide

• PDF Version of Redstone Guide

Helpful Links

Credits

Introduction

Hi to whoever is reading this. This is my own attempt at a Redstone guide that is both easy to

understand and accessible, and isn't similar to the all but impossible to read one on Minecraft Wiki. I

have paroozed the many videos on YouTube and have found quite a few that I both like and that are

comprehensive, yet have had trouble finding a truly functional guide on paper. That is what I am here

to do. You will find descriptions of redstone basics, explanations, examples, and pictures, as well as

additional content as I learn more about redstone and hopefully gain more knowledge from others

(such as yourself) commenting on this guide. Good luck to you, and I hope you learn something.

The Basics

Redstone Facts

Redstone is the material used to create functional mechanisms in the Minecraft world, such as lever

controlled traps, or pressure plate controlled doors. There are several basic redstone facts to know:

• Redstone Dust is mined from Restone Ore.

• Each Ore block will drop 4-5 Redstone Dust.

• Redstone Ore must be mined with an Iron Pickaxe or better.

• Restone wiring carries a current 15 blocks.

Redstone dust can be placed on all blocks (such as Dirt, Stone, blocks of iron) to create wiring.

Exceptions include Ice and Glass and all triggerable blocks such as TNT, Note Blocks, Chests, and

Furnaces. (Redstone can be placed on Jukeboxes).

Dust can be connected either in a straight line, or can be placed up or down one adjacent block. To

connect blocks that are above or below each other, don't try and add redstone wiring on the sides

manually. Place on top of both blocks, and it connects itself.

If a block is placed that gets between the wiring diagonally, it will not let a current pass through. The

only two exceptions are ice and glass. The white block at the end shows regular behavior.

Wiring does not create any current by itself, but must be powered by one of several items in

Minecraft. You can see below how the powered wire glows red when a current is passing through it.

You may also notice that the color of the wiring quickly transitions from bright orange to a dark red.

This is an aesthetic representation of the current approaching the 15 block limit. It should be noted

that while the current appears weaker, the strength of the current at the end at block 15 is just as

strong as the current at the start with block 1.

Switches

Redstone wiring can be powered in several ways:

1. Button - By pressing the button, a current will stay for approximately 1

second (0.9 to be exact), then will stop.

2. Lever - Activating the lever will create a constant current until the lever

is flipped off.

3. Pressure Plate (Stone) - A player or mob will activate the current

while standing on a pressure plate. The current stops when the

player/mob step off.

4. Pressure Plate (Wood) - Same as a stone pressure plate, but can also

be activated by dropped items.

5. Redstone Torch - Redstone torches provide constant power to the

redstone wiring and have no direct activation/deactivation by

themselves.

For example, when the lever is applied to the majority of powerable objects, you can see the results.

The first image is with the levers in an "off" state, and the second picture is with them on. For safety

reasons I left the TNT for the very end.

Now that you know the basics of Redstone itself and how to power a current, let's look at some

specific Redstone concepts in order to make your contraptions work.

Making It Work

The Power

So far we have learned how different switches will power redstone wiring in order to make things

happen. There are several ways that the power can be transmitted from your switch (lever, pressure

pad, button, redstone torch) to the object in questions (piston, door, note-block, dispenser, etc).

1. The switch can be right next to the object.

2. The current can flow into the bottom of the object.

3. The current can flow into the top of the object.

4. Variation of #2.

When redstone wire runs parallel to a powerable object, or row of powerable objects, it tends to cause

issues if it is powering in a row adjacent to the bottom side of the block, as pictured in the right side

of the image. If the wiring runs on the top side, the current activates the objects and everything

works fine.

This image introduces an important concept of a current's ability to flow through blocks. As you can

see, redstone wiring does not connect the entire distance between the lever and the piston, instead

the current flows into the block which holds it and transfer it to all adjacent spaces. (This can be

useful if you want to hide your redstone wiring to make your creations more aesthetically pleasing).

Adjacent spaces are above, below, to the left and right, and front and behind the powered block. In

this case, the lever is attached to the front of the block, taking up the "front" position. It should be

noted that blocks adjacent to the lever itself are also powered, even if the lever (or any switch) isn't

directly touching it.

Now look at this. The powering block idea leads to the misconception that a block can simply replace a

piece of wire. As shown above, this is not the case. Unless a wire is connected to a block that has a

switch placed on it, it will not receive power from anything except for a torch, or just a switch by itself.

Take note and avoid confusion!

Much can be done if you know how to properly set up your power supply, but the amount possible

only increases with the introduction of a repeater.

Repeaters

Repeaters are the one redstone affiliated item that I have not yet mentioned, but perhaps one of the

most useful. The repeater has two main uses, both being very simple:

1. Creating delays in the current

2. Extending past the 15 block current limit

The simplest use of Redstone Repeaters is for extending past the 15 block limit that a current has

from its original powering source (such as a lever, button, or redstone torch).

When using repeaters, make sure you place them the right way, with the current entering into the red

strip!

You can see here how the very top piston is functioning when activated, but that the one below it is

not. This is because there are 16 spaces of wiring in the lower connection versus the exact 15 in the

top one. Once a repeater is added though, the 15 block limit is reset and the current can continue for

another 15 spaces (from the repeater) before dying out.

Minecraft redstone has a system of delays known as ticks. A tick, according to Minecraft Wiki, is equal

to 0.1 seconds. When a repeater is introduced into the path of redstone, it causes a one tick delay in a

neutral state. Thus, if you had a current that had to travel through ten repeaters between a lever and

a piston, it would take one second for the lever to activate the piston (if all repeaters were in neutral).

Now what do I mean by neutral state?

Resized to 92% (was 800 x 238) - Click image to enlarge

Right clicking a repeater causes one of the torches to shift, up to three times, to create delays. Each

shift adds on one more tick, making each repeater able to cause 4 ticks of delay, or 0.4 seconds delay.

When a repeater is first placed down, it is at a 1 tick state, or "neutral". Repeaters themselves plus a

little redstone dust can be used to make up a basic logic gate known as a Pulser, but we will describe

it, among other things, in the following sections.

Redstone Torches

First let's start with learning a bit more about redstone torches. A redstone torch by iteself delivers a

never ending current to an object or to redstone wiring. You can think of it as a lever that never

leaves the "On" position. Although a redstone torch is on by default, it can be turned off when a

current is introduced to it in a specific way. Look at the following image.

So what exactly is going on here? It would appear that both switches are flipped on, thus creating a

current that we learned flows through the block and into the torch. The bottom torch was successfully

turned off, but why didn't the top one turn off? It is quite simple. Since the torch itself is giving off a

current, it powers the redstone wiring, which then leads back to the block and lever, where it stops,

unable to effect anything. To avoid these complications, we power the blocks that the torch is placed

on.

A switch will turn off and on a torch placed on any side of the block that it is able to attach to. But why

turn off a torch? Observe in the following picture how the switches are both either in the off or on

position and yet the outputs are different.

The switch that has a redstone torch creates something known as an inverter, or a "NOT Gate". An

inverter simply inverts the input that is given. Usually a flipped lever will send a current, activating an

object. But when a torch is attached, the flipped lever sends a current into the torch, disabling it,

causing absolutely no current to flow through the output.

Quick example of an inverter at a distance from the switch. When stacking the disabling and enabling

effects of torches, it should be noted that torches bring a 1 tick wait time with them, exactly that of a

repeater in a neutral state.

In the following example, you can see how a redstone repeater set to two ticks will cause the exact

same delay as two torches placed in the other line. (Before official repeaters were introduced, the

above system of two redstone torches was used to extend the current).

Powering it Up and Down

This system of powering torches can be harnessed to achieve vertical power in the form of several

slightly different structures.

The first 1x1 tower ends with a torch powered on, thus activating the piston, whereas the 2x1 tower

ends with an off torch, leaving the piston in place. (Obviously if the towers each increased by one

torch, the outputs would be opposite). These towers make sending power vertically less of a hassle.

You can also try a 2x2 spiraling method that sends power both up and down. This tower is excellent

because it can be traversed up and down by foot!

Here is the spiral staircase in action!

Sending power down can either be achieved in a couple ways. You can either use the aforementioned

2x2 spiral method, a bulky staircase looking structure (seen below), or a more advanced looking

method of stacking floating blocks.

The final stacking block method of "powering it down" can be explained simply. The switch will

activate a piece of redstone that delivers a current to the redstone torch at the end. This torch is then

disabled, thus releasing the disabling effect on the torch below, turning it on. This effect alternates

back and forth until it hits bottom.

Well, that about does it for most of the basic technical concepts of redstone related items. To learn

about different circuits, scarily termed "Logic Gates", proceed on to the next section.

Circuits (Oh, so confusing! Not really)

A circuit in Minecraft is basically just a bunch of switches, torches, redstone, and perhaps repeaters,

put in a certain order that gives a desired output (current or no current) based on different inputs

(levers, buttons, torches, redstone, etc).

Basic Example

Description

Now this isn't even a circuit, but let's start with this very basic contraption that you have seen a bunch

of times. You flip on the lever (input) and it results in a current (output) that in turn activates a piston

(powered block). That is all. Moving on.

OR/NOR Gates

Description

This "OR Gate" is very similar to the previous example. The only difference is that now there are two

levers instead of one. With an "OR Gate", by pressing one lever OR the other (inputs), a current will

result (output).

NOR Gate

Note that you can combine the "OR Gate" with an inverter to result in the opposite output. When a

gate gives an opposite output, the letter "N" is put in front of the title, so "OR Gate" becomes "NOR"

Gate, which is this gate below.

AND/NAND Gates

Description

An "AND Gate" will result in an output only when both Lever 1 AND Lever 2 are flipped on. Let me

explain exactly what is going on in this picture.

Explanation

The two levers are the inputs. Only when both are flipped will the piston move up. The reason why is

quite simple. The redstone torches that are above each input are both powering the piece of redstone

wiring that is in between the two. This powered redstone wire is effectively powering the Key

Redstone Torch, thus disabling it (as we learned earlier). Only when both torches above the inputs are

off, will the piece of redstone wire be off, thus halting the disabling effect on the torch. One the torch

is enable, it releases a current through the wire and into the piston.

NAND Gate

To create an "NAND gate", instead of adding an inverter, you take off the original redstone torch that

sat in the middle. That torch's purpose was to create a circuit that turned ON when both inputs were

on. You could almost look at the "NAND Gate" as the original form, and the "AND Gate" as the

variation that had an inverter attached.

XOR Gate

Description

The "XOR Gate" is a variation of the "OR Gate". As you know, an "OR Gate" has an output that can be

turned OFF or ON by all included inputs. With an "XOR Gate", the same applies, but if both inputs are

ON, the output will turn OFF. Or to be stated in another way, if the inputs match each other (both ON

or both OFF) the output will be OFF, if they are different (one OFF with the other ON), the output will

be ON.

Explanation

The explanation of how this works is not too bad. Ignore the green box for a moment and just focus

on the two red boxes. See how in the top box, if the lever is switched on, it will send a current into the

torch placed on the side, turning it off, releasing the disabling effect on the consecutive torch (in the

red box), which releases a current into the wiring and through the output. That is the first part; if

either lever is switch on by itself it will send a current and activate an object, a piston in this case.

The next part is also simple. Try and imagine that both levers have been switched on. Why does the

final current stop? If you look at the two torches placed on top of the blocks that the levers are

attached to, you will see they are powering several pieces of wire. As long as one lever is not switched

on, this wire will always been powered, but as soon as both are switched on, the power dies. When it

dies the torch in the green box will turn on and power the wires to its sides. This power will disable the

two torches at the very end, making it so no current reaches the piston. And that's it! Whew!

RS NOR Latch

Description

An RS NOR Latch sounds god-awful doesn't it? It really is not so bad. Imagine a scenario where you

wanted an input that you could switch on and off. A lever sounds great doesn't it? But say you to be

able to turn the input "ON" by triggering one button, and "OFF" by triggering a button in an entirely

different place. This is what the "RS NOR Latch" lets us do.

Explanation

Once the top button is pressed, the current will flip to the other side and stay there until the opposite

bottom button is pressed. Depending on which output is used, the top and bottom buttons will be

on/off or off/on. The reasoning as to why is not complicated either. Once the top button is pressed, a

current will flow into the block that it is attached to and into the torch, disabling it. Once the torch is

disabled, the wiring that it is connected to will also turn off, thus releasing the disabling effect on the

opposite block/torch. Now we are flipped and pressing the button on the opposite side will have the

opposing effect. A quick note on the name, "RS" stands for "Reset" and "Set". If you press one button,

it will set it, but if you press the other, it will reset. Pretty cool.

Monostable Circuit

Description

A monostable circuit is basically an "RS NOR Latch" with a slight modification. The point of a

monostable circuit is to give an input that has a set amount of time before it turns off. Say you

wanted to have a door open for five seconds, then close, this is what you would use. Most inputs are

either a quick flash (button/pressure pad) or set indefinitely off/on (torches/levers), but with a

monostable circuit, you have the ability to set the time. Anyways, have a look.

Explanation

Right away you can see the "RS NOR Latch" as well as another wire with a repeater on it traveling

from one block to the other. If you remember, the "RS NOR Latch" has "ON" and "OFF", or

alternatively "SET" and "RESET", inputs or switches. When you press the single button in the

monostable circuit, the "RS NOR Latch" turns "ON" or is "SET" as usual, but the pressing of the button

also sends a signal through the wire on the side. This signal hits the repeater (the single repeater is

just an example, you can place as many as you could possible want for your own particular delay

times) and is delayed. After the delay, it travels and hits the block giving it an "OFF" or "RESET"

command. Thus, the system is reset.

T Flip-Flop

Description

The T Flip-Flop is a big heap of wires designed to do basically one thing, to turn a button into a lever.

You can think of it as if the two buttons of the "RS NOR Latch" were the same button. You press it

once, "ON", you press it again, "OFF". Simple.

Explanation

Now don't get overwhelmed when looking at this mess, I'm going to walk you through it. In the image

above, you have two primary parts. The green selection covers the "RS NOR Latch" of the circuit, and

the red selection covers a piece that shortens the pulse of the button from about one second, to about

one third of a second. Let's first examine how the part selected in red works.

Okay, so you push the button and it sends a pulse. This pulse hits the block that has a torch on it, and

disables that torch. Once the torch is disabled, the current that had been flowing through the long

piece of wire going from top to bottom is turned off. At the same time that the disabled torch stops

the current from flowing through the long wire, it also releases the disabling effect on the torch right

above it. This torch then turns on and disables the the torch on the block, which allows the last torch

to turn on and power that same long piece of wire. Now let’s put it together. The button is pressed

and turns off the wire, but at the same time, a pulse flows through three torches (bringing three ticks

of delay) which ends up powering the wire that had been off. So instead of having a 0.9 second wait

time before the wire goes from off back to on after the button is pressed, it now only has a 0.3 second

wait time due to the three torches above. The same signal that is used to turn off the wire is also used

to power the wire, but the powering effect is coming 0.3 seconds later. It overrides the first effect and

turns the wire back on.

Now for the rest. Stay with me, we're getting there. There are a few things here besides just the “RS

NOR Latch”. If you look, there are a couple of other blocks thrown in. Counting the pieces of the “RS

NOR Latch” there is a circle of three on top, and a circle or rectangle of three on bottom. Look at the

blocks labeled “Block on Top/Bottom”.

Depending on whether the output is “ON” or “OFF” there will either be two wires powering the Block

on Bottom or two wires powering the Block on Top, respectively. What does this mean? Remember

how when you press the button it turns off the long piece of wire that is connected to these two blocks

for about 0.3 seconds? Well the block that is only being powered by this long wire will have the

disabling effect on it released for those 0.3 seconds, sending a pulse either into the “ON”/Set or the

“OFF”/Reset, effectively turning the output "ON" or "OFF". And that’s about it.

Clocks

Description

A Clock, sometimes referred to as a pulser, is used in a circumstance where you want your redstone

current to actually pulse or flash. You can set this up in two different ways.

The Repeater Clock needs to be activated with a quick flash of current from either a button, pressure

plate, or a quick drop-torch-then-destroy-real-fast action. If you have too much trouble setting it up,

try this alternate clock.

Five torches or five repeaters are not necessary to create a clock. When using torches and blocks, you

need to have an odd number, where as you can make a clock with any amount of repeaters. The torch

and block clock requires no activation, once it is set up, it will go by itself. Note that when making

clocks, using 3 or less torches/blocks or repeaters will cause the torches in the clock to burn out.

That does it for circuits for the time being. I truly hope to update as frequently as I can as I learn new

things and optimize old ideas. Please stay tuned and let me know if further clarification is necessary.

Conclusion

Thank you for reading my guide and I hope that you learned something from it. If you find any errors,

typos, or have additional information that you think should be added, please comment or pm me and

let me know. Not being a redstone master by any means, I know there is plenty that has been left out

due to my ignorance, and I would be very grateful for both explanations on complex circuits and

intriguing mechanisms that would be helpful for the player base, as well as simple facts such as wiring

not function on a certain material. Feel free to use any of my pictures or videos for your own use.

Enjoy playing with Redstone and thanks again!

Downloadables

(See Guide online).

Credits

• Minecraft Wiki

• Minecraft YouTubers

• Minecraftforum.net

• Repliers and Commenters for suggestions and feedback.