How to Build a Digital Clock in Minecraft, Part 1 [In Game Time!]

Howdy Partnoids! Todays vid is the first in a two/three part series detailing how to build a Redstone clock. I take you through the piston memory array that stores all the information for the clock and deals with outputting the time onto displays. Piston Memory of course has many other uses as well (I discuss this in the video!) Hope it's helpful for everyone!
World Save: www.planetminec... Please up vote!
Music: DTMM - Black Out

[@tylergandee5318]

Most likely the reason it's not working is because of the clock how the redstone is not connected to the block. To fix this, move the repeater on the clock 1 block away from the piston, making it slightly larger, but now your clock will work. Like this so more people will see it.

[@Tingaling97]

Doesn't this change the amount of ticks due the longer circuit? Meaning the timer will push the next row of data over more than a second?

[@mikespriggs]

actually no, just swap the block on the back of the piston with the redstone dust and it will output in all 4 directions to activate the piston clock. no need to make it 1 block bigger..

[@lamofabull7844]

Or you can just put redstone dust on the block that isn't being powered

[@mikespriggs]

Tingaling97 the clock runs at .9 instead on 1 second so id suggest just build your own clock if u want it running in real time. And build a monostable circuit and on off piston for the clock so u can operate it properly.. also if you half the width and double the height of the buid it looks and functions alot better.. 😀

[@mikespriggs]

And yes dust on block will work too.. lols 😀

[@curtisjordan9210]

Still one of the coolest things ever built in Minecraft. Thanks again years later!

[@hawtpawket]

Those of you who can't get the clock to work at 06:40 - I have a simple fix: Just take the Redstone dust and the repeater and move them one space over so there is an extra space between them and the piston/wool. You do this so the Redstone will run towards the wool block behind the piston. Do this and I promise it will fire right up ezpz.

[@mataiwolfmoon6413]

Thanks dude it worked😄

[@evann2709]

thx so much dude works well

[@kingcronic1999]

also put dust on back block works great for PS3

[@WhirledPe4s]

This is a GREAT tutorial on storing and retrieving binary data. I realized right away that the timer needed to be updated with current Redstone standards, but a quick hopper clock was an easy fix. For a long time, I've wanted to make an automated enchantment level selector that could handle all 16 levels of enchantment powers, by moving chests in and out of range of the enchantment table. Using your piston memory array, I was able to finally create one. I expanded it +2 wider and +1 taller, for a total of 16 lines of data. This was enough to store the 16 different configurations the enchantment bookcases needed to be in. I was hoping I could just let it cycle through the various configurations while I monitored the possible enchantments, but unfortunately I found that I have to remove and re-add the book to the enchantment table in order to refresh the enchantments. So I removed the clock, added a button, and fiddled with repeater timing a bit, making sure that the pink pistons fired first, so I could move the data one line at a time. This allowed me to advance through the 16 different enchantment configurations and be able to throw a book in the enchantment table to see what the potential enchantments were, before advancing to the next configuration. This was suitable because I had been doing things this way, by placing and removing torches between the enchantment table and the bookcases, to alter the levels. I then added 4 more rows of pistons, facing in the opposite direction so I could use one button to advance +1 line and a second button to rewind -1 line. Now I can cycle back and forth through the 16 different levels of enchantments, without having to remember where the torches need to be placed. Next I'm planning to use the callout as a way to deactivate a timer that will automatically advance the rows of data forward until enchanting is set up at full power. Expanding this to use a full 12 blocks that a piston can move and a full line of 16 blocks that Redstone can travel, you can easily store 704 bits (88 bytes) of information in 22, 16 bit lines. This has great potential for storing and retrieving data and automating many patterns! Great example project! Thanks for the inspiration! 😊

[@austinbosch8875]

its kinda like binary, the glass is like the 0 (off) and the wool is like the 1 (on)

[@roboltamy]

I remember seeing this and following it somewhat years ago. Now that I have a solid understanding of redstone it's weird looking at this method ngl.

[@benyed1636]

Here's a better idea. Look up.

[@cedrickohlisch4649]

Haha xD

[@SirPoggersChugusTheThird]

+Benjamin Norton hah

[@anthonypalmer1886]

But what if you're underground? There is no sky while you're underground.

[@Feline-wx7su]

*looks up and sees darkness* I only see my soul

[@cekeboy1039]

@@Feline-wx7su u good bro?

[@danieldeweese8749]

Is anybody else thinking moving maze?

[@semanresus]

I love his videos! He really makes redstone easy to understand! He shows you not only how to build machines, but he also explains why they work!

[@imtehshit]

I just finished building this on xbox. When I first started playing mc one of my goals was to make a clock. Thank you for helping me realize my goal. It actually turned out less complicated then I ever expected.

[@Tehr4p3]

You can also attach the same clock to pistons that cycle blocks under the note blocks from the piston motor here in this tutorial, to change the notes to a more complex pattern on the bottom row of note blocks. Like say alternating drums and notes, etc.

[@Unnecessarilylongexplanations]

these are the best videos on redstone that arnt confusing and not boring

[@maxxizacc]

this is a great video I love how he says what he is doing and explains it a lot unlike a lot of people

[@LordChucky5246]

This does work in 1.7.2 just need to delay some of the repeaters. For example the repeaters that trigger the pistons that push the information past need to be one extra tick delayed. I know he mentions that the extra repeater is to add one tick but the opposing pistons will also need a tick (maybe just take out the extra repeater. Also his clock doesn't work exactly as he has it in his example build but it does work in his fully built model, so emulate that one instead. When he says that you can alternate between repeater and red stone on the black decoder blocks, this can no longer be done. They all will need to be one tick delayed repeaters or your clock will flicker as in 1.7.2 the repeaters notice the blocks movement and will flicker as they move past.

[@seantraynor5410]

in order for it too work on 1.6.2 change the repeater that fuels the pink chain to 2 clicks instead of 1. That is the repeater right by the start of the generator/clock thing, he places is it at 7:11. Also the redstone wiring he does with the generator at 6:33 needs to be moved back 1 block and then connected. Hope that helps!

[@easygoingold]

I think this is only a problem with the Xbox version, but what I did because I had the same problem is I had everything the same but I added a repeater directly behind the sticky piston, then I put two redstone dust, one behind the repeater I just put down and the other next to it on the side opposite of the whole building its self. Hope this helps, if you have questions just ask :)

[@RealLifeOORA]

You need to add a ticker to the clock (The system where he pushes the button) on the first one. Then you just have the output from the first one tell the next one when to move! (Same set up as the first, but no button, instead it's redstone leading to the block)

[@GuitarPlayingDragon]

I used 2 pulse limiters for each of the inputs and hooked them up to the clock, that way each set of pistons is only pushed out for a shorter period of time, and they wont interfere with each other like that. It takes up more space but I think it's a tad more reliable.

[@joemonster55]

Thanks man, you are really good at explaining complicated red stone devices in a way I can understand. *Subscribed*

[@vF3ARv1]

@destroyer60000 there's nothing to mess up. The only things that could possibly go wrong is either the spacing between piston and wire or just timing which is only using repeaters.

[@az4521-]

the glass row is for if you want to make more counters like for a clock, you need the glass one to put the signal to the next memory unit

[@Xbox360games4life]

i watch alot of your tutorials,and i love them all, and love how u explain everything,keep up the good work.

[@oNNo6336]

@Sebastian Agius, ignore what he says about it being off put, set the repeaters to equal delay amounts for the motor control and it should work

[@Brokkoli7hun]

thank you man, that piston memory design helped a lot and i built this vertically. it works fine and is much more compact ;)

[@ajwindmeyer2272]

What is the red "Block" made of on the timer? I can't get mine to light up...

[@erkan2284]

my game version is 1.8.1 and it didnt work but i solved it, you should add 9. piston (for each 4 line ) but do not place any wool they just should work empty.

[@erkan2284]

piston directions not important. just they should work at the same lines

[@InternationalDavinc]

Delay the Blue Circuit's cycle more than shown in the video if you don't care for in-game time accuracy. The problem is that the blue cycle runs while the pink is retracting with the shown timing. Simple fix is add a few (2-3 on full delay) repeaters leading into the blue circuit. I currently use this as a scoreboard for a few different mini games; therefore I don't need an accurate timing. It'll make the numbers change over a little slower, but it's a quick fix.

[@builderoflego166]

I've had an idea that you could have multiple songs stored on this machine. It requires the fact that anvils, sand, and gravel are all affected by gravity. If you imagine the wool/glass thing as a media cd, you could have regular pistons push sand, pushing the cd into place , and a mech to clear the sand after. This media cd could theoretically be any size, so long as it 's 8 long. This media file could play music, video or games! Then in the other side, another cd and sand mech but reversed

[@loopsprice3128]

The problem is that in the test part it wants to move and go around. but after adding 2 or 3 lines the top will no longer push down. It then just push's out and it stops working?? RE: Fix was to add 2 lines of blue w/repeaters, did same w/pinks . problem fixed

[@tOSdude]

If the repeaters are offset then it won't work. Have the repeater going to pink set on 2. Also put obsidian or chests at the end of where a piston pushes blocks to make sure it doesn't lose any, because it can't push either of those.

[@iBetThisNameWillWork]

I'm having trouble when it comes time to test with the red block just before adding memory. Some pistons will push just fine. Others will push only a maximum of 2 blocks. Suggestions? I'm on xbox 360, and just got the latest update about an hour ago. Also, I can't connect red stone to the clock the same way as in the video. I had to go wide around and connect from the back. It just wouldn't work from the side...

[@tfranc347]

CNB you are the only guy who could give pistons memory...

[@FearfulInk]

When i get to putting the Lime Green Wool in for testing it always pushes out one of the blocks. I followed to the T and problems... What to do?

[@UP3Z]

awesome video, one of the first i watched when coming to minecraft.. now after a decent understanding of redstone i built on ps4 only to find it glitches like crazy, pistons and blocks dissapearing... is there a fix for this?

[@ColorHawk_]

thank you... your the only video that I found to be a good step by step tutorial

[@xsuperemegameryx8667]

There are comparator's noe and Cauldrons are movable and also detectable by comparators, so that means no need for black circuit( ya it is aint resource friendly though)

[@kucekto]

Not sure why KZbin is recommending this to me again... Love all those minecraft years back then!

[@dafriedel7097]

When I trie to 'test' the working of the pistons my upper blue row of pistons doesn't work (I had to use the alternative in the commends) does sb know why ?!

[@danielmclarty9357]

mine isn't working and the pink circuit is not firing but I am using a console edition so if that has any difference please tell me.

[@danielbarker1543]

What version of minecraft did you use I tried to build it on 1.5.2 and it wouldn't work

[@DevineDarkness]

how would a more modern version of this work with a hopper clock? what amount of items would be best use for the fastest possible clock for it?

[@ericbourtchai]

5 items for the first machine with the cola and no ps4 for u!

[@parasite159]

Such an awesome build, I've ended up using the memory array in MC360 to make a music box, but it was a little limiting only having 10 bytes... so i've used your basic design and made an array that holds 240 bits.

[@captainkirk121]

it works. that pulse generator that he uses in the beginning isnt even used in the finished product. the one that he uses later does work

[@ButterMajesticButter]

this guy is one of the redstone gods

[@bobaloojokey]

Yes it works on 360 Edition. I've been meaning to build it for awhile now, just haven't got to it until last night and this morning, it works perfect.

[@Zebrooo]

I did something slightly simpler, what i did was i placed a repeater going into the piston from the back and had the other repeater( the one in to tut) redstone go out one more block and one to the right to connect it to the repeater that i placed going into the piston from behind. Hope this helped

[@stealthpelt1]

Upon testing this in 1.5.1, it worked during the first time you said to test it, however, when I started to play with the glass, the cycling ceased, any trouble shooting ideas?

[@RedsBoneStuff]

With the new comparators, we can finally make a piston tape with just a 1 block gap in the middle! You can put a furnace in there, and have a comparator detect items from it through the tape. It will only detect through solid blolcks. -not originally my idea

[@frasermarr5291]

how did you get the first clock running when you have sticky piston and two red blocks and you make a clock out of it I cant seem to make it move ??

[@geoffreypelayo4143]

hey i want to make it but i still dont understand the digit part i got the pitons and all but i dont know how to do the digits can u help ?

[@Morelia300]

If you're planning on doing this in the xbox 360 version, you're going to need to wire the red wire sticky piston thing so that the redstone goes through a 3x4 or 3x5 rectangle.

[@nadiasnyman4970]

if you have a problem with the pistons, always check the repeaters first to make sure that there all the same

[@bryndavies3091]

the clock won't work, tried it over and over.. does it need any mods or plugins for it to work?

[@liorzhok5447]

nice job!!!! I saw one clock , 60 seconds . it was huge as hell that means VERY BIG. Something like 1000 x 1000 x 100 blocks!!!! this is the most compact Idea EVER !!!!!!! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO TO THE CREATOR!!!!!!!!! CHEERS!!!!!!

[@MaxSolar-dd5wq]

Is it possible to use ROSFES* transistors with Observers to replace the RAM module? ROSFES: Redstone Oscillating System-Field Effect Semiconductor (i.e. Repeaters, Comparator, torch)

[@Maven-1]

the 0-9 counter only works with the timing module on 2 ticks for me. why is this and how can i fix this?

[@Gr4nt2000]

Hey the clock u make at the end, won't work for me..the sticky piston pushes out the block, but want pull it back in, what do I do?!

[@GamingComic123]

Did you break the block in the 2 corners of the loop thing?

[@Bacon-lover101]

Dear CNN, that first part of the video, was AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! wicked YT TV Man.

[@rayisawsome11]

Would this work if the bottom two sets of pistons are four blocks away I made the needed changes for the other pistons above the pink ones because I can't get them to link up correctely

[@FurrySergal]

Geeeeez thank you very much! I had a calculator design I tried creating in alpha years ago but it got far out of hand for my attention span [and PC resources] mainly because of the lack of pistons; also repeaters.. I regret so much not hanging on to that design. I wonder how far redstone layout programs have come?

[@davynricketts5061]

your one of the best mincraft players ive seen

[@HugeMobTowerBoy]

i think we have the same problem , i get it to work , but only when the piston clock repeater is set at 2 , when i set it at 3 or 4 my memory pushes it one time and then it just stops pushing .....:/

[@NetherFX]

the comparators can detect how much blocks in dispenders,hoppers and chests a hopper puts stuff in chests, dispensers, and other hoppers

[@bitterwinter4831]

Something here doesn't work! I'm on Xbox 1 and everything is hooked up correctly. But I start it and after the first rotation, it just stops. The pink wire (or cyan wire for me) pistons won't move! Please help!

[@datgamerboy123]

BitterWinter change all the repeaters on the pink circuit, except for the one coming out of the piston clock, to one tick delay.

[@Squishdabomb]

I was doing this on the Xbox and it was all going fine until part 2 where I noticed you changed it up a bit and I tryed to change it to adapt and ended up stuffing it up and needing to start from scratch. Can you please help

[@zzApotheosis]

This guy must be an electrical engineer because he's using terms I learned in my Digital Circuits class. ;)

[@coletran3451]

Thanks so much nick this really helped me to understand piston memory

[@CLChronicles]

the clock is broken in 1.7.2 I had to use a hopper clock and mess with the repeater timing.

[@dedooske3575]

the red wool bit wont work

[@dedooske3575]

now ive got it i had to do it a bit differnt

[@CreeperArmy64]

it didn't work.. i did everything correct but the clock doesn't cause the pistons to make the memory circle around. is it anything that has to do with 1.5.2?

[@LunacyFringe187]

I made a display that says my name and gamertag on xbox with this video. Great videos I have learned a lot from you :-)

[@mik159753]

to all having trouble with the new updates and snapshot. you need to add a Comparator and repeater combo to make a monostable 1 tick pulse on both sides. then adjust with repeaters 4 timing

[@swmg108]

I have a severe problem. My lower pink pistons will push forward when there is no resistance, but don't move when there are blocks in front of them.

[@swmg108]

Actually, pretty much pink in general.

[@kadentalbot6953]

Bill Gannon just set the repeater coming off the piston clock going to the pink pistons to two instead of one it worked for me

[@Ontyy701]

+kaden talbot OMG THANK YOU!!!!!

[@creasu124]

+The Bill_der have you made it bigger because pistons can only puch 13 blocks in one time

[@MatheusWessler]

Yes, it's work ! I made a new "sequenciator", and organize the redstones. It's a smaller sistem, and work well !

[@Tommsy64]

In the newer version of Minecraft the pistons act differently, so to fix this, just make a normal redstone clock with 4 repeaters each set to 4 ticks. Link one end to the pink circuit, and the other to the blue.

[@Squishdabomb]

Hey, I would just like to know if the digital clock design works on Minecraft 360 and if its possible to reverse it into a countdown timer so that it can count down til I nuke my world.

[@kjomen]

Isn't this more of a mechanical clock? Where the rotating piston memory is the mechanism? I think a digital clock would be more of how it's done in real life, with a 4 bit counter and a BCD decoder.

[@timothyjskotek1886]

I cannot find nothing about how you build a clock the whole thing all the units and how your time ?

[@hansolsen3101]

yea you have to do the square clock for it right? I just can't get them both hooked up to have the pistons go opposite of eachother

[@boat02_alt]

Setting the clock to 1 tick is too fast, and the sticky piston loses the block. Setting the clock to 2 ticks works, but is too fast for the display to update. Setting the clock to 3 or more ticks seems to jam the roll of memory. A pair of pistons won't want to push...

[@suneenough]

+arrow091 I had that problem too. Figured it out in the end though.

[@2244med]

+arrow091 I love you so much right now

[@spencerkurtz988]

How did you fix it? I have the same problem.

[@evann2709]

ya how did you fix it???

[@xsuperemegameryx8667]

arrow091 You have to put additional repeaters to fix up the timings, after the clock circuit

[@adamsucksatyt]

I started using a digital memory cell with torches instead of a piston feed tape. It's like HDD and SSD.

[@Spivitar]

Does work set the left repeater from the clock to two ticks which will make it work

[@stijnverweij556]

dude thank you so much this was the only usefull comment i could find :D

[@Asad-se5xs]

what did you do on part 2 why did you change the whole thing

[@CrYofF3AR]

with some fixes to the clock or the decodersystem it works in 1.4.7 perfectly

[@SparkAndIntellectual]

I did a little tinkering with the redstone, and made it work in 1.5.1. with a simplified version. I prefer the timer to set off the clock, instead of a minecart - reboot system.

[@gazzieowen]

I Made 1 in 1.6.2 i just had to change a tiny bit of it Nice job mate :D

[@Mullac254]

This could be smaller with the new snapshot! Will the labyrinth feature the 1.5 snapshots?

[@SirTipsi]

Why add the extra glass row? It isn't necessary and it just takes in space and pistons so more lag...

[@Tehr4p3]

Or If you go the route of using this as a music player you could set each motor to run in order or randomly, and make an easily programmable and expandable music player/randomizer, but as you said, you certainly need the glass to carry out the data to start the next sequence. Without the need for extreme amounts of redstone and timers.

[@danielpietersma]

on 6:42 you get a sticky piston, red block of wool and those redstone torches with it, put some redstone in front, repeater, redstone and block of wool behind the sticky piston. i tried this in singleplayer, but it bugs, the redstone wont trigger the piston, so i bypassed it, by putting redstone on the block behind the piston, but as the sticky piston pushes the other block, it wont retract it, due the redstone torch underneath the red wool, can you fix this?

[@MrStaypufty]

Can I use this with redstone lamps? will it still work?

[@dann3906]

i just tried to make on pc minecraft. the pistons wouldn't time right. i modified it with a loop clock instead and timed it with repeaters. the video set up works on xbox.

[@HugeMobTowerBoy]

oh man seriously thanks! i was freaking out :P your my hero

[@dwayneng_]

in 1.5.1 this only works if repeator ticks is set to 2.

[@funtommtv]

My clock that i built from this tutorial is 1 block slower is it a problem?

[@jordanrul3z]

Are the first set of pistons sticky or not?

[@LukeStarWard]

how do i hook the pistons up to the thing for the clock digit please reply

[@joelvega4608]

ok, first u helped meh make a elevator now this? imma start watching ur vids more often!!

[@EnergyTwilight]

When I'm on the first part on the second one I have to put red stone on top of the red block tell me why

[@thepartenerincrime99]

can you show me how to do the glass or is the one where you said just place random glass is the information