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Architecture of BitView

Overview

BitView implements a two‑digit decimal display (00‑99) in Minecraft redstone using only NOT and OR gates. The design follows a systematic digital logic methodology.

High‑level structure

+----------------+     +-----------------+     +------------------+
| Keypad (levers)|                 +-----------------+     +------------------+

Layering (vertical)

  • Units layer (bottom): circuit for the rightmost digit.
  • Tens layer (above): identical circuit for the leftmost digit.
  • The two layers are physically stacked vertically to save horizontal space.
  • Displays are placed side by side (tens left, units right) for natural reading.

Signal flow (per digit)

  1. Lever block (3×3, digits 1‑9) – each lever corresponds to one decimal digit.
  2. Encoder – converts the lever input into a 4‑bit Binary Coded Decimal (BCD) value (0‑9).
  3. Decoder – 4 inputs (A,B,C,D) → 7 outputs (segments a‑g).
    • The decoder is built from minimised Boolean expressions derived from Karnaugh maps.
    • Original expressions were in AND‑OR form.
    • Using De Morgan’s law, each AND gate is replaced by NOT((NOT A) OR (NOT B)).
  4. Redstone implementation:
    • NOT gate = redstone torch.
    • OR gate = redstone dust (wire).
  5. 7‑segment display – lights the appropriate segments.

Why only NOT and OR?

Minecraft redstone provides:

  • Torch: NOT (output ON when input OFF).
  • Dust: OR (output ON if any input is ON). No native AND gate. Therefore all Boolean expressions must be converted to NOT‑OR form. This is done systematically using De Morgan:
A AND B = NOT( (NOT A) OR (NOT B) )

Handling the “default‑on” issue

Redstone torches are ON by default. This means when no lever is pulled, the circuit tends to output ON. To correctly display 0, the logic was designed so that with all levers off, the segments that form a “0” light up. There is no “all‑off” state – 0 is the intended default.

Quantitative improvements (compared to legacy)

See the Quantitative Results section in the main README for exact numbers. In summary, the optimised version reduces gate count by approximately [TODO: %] and eliminates unnecessary repeaters, lowering latency.

Legacy versions

  • first_attempt_single_display/: unoptimised 0‑9 digit.
  • second_attempt_double_display/: unoptimised 00‑99 using the same flawed minimization.

Hexadecimal extension (theoretical)

  • Designed but not built in Minecraft.
  • Uses the same architecture but with a 4‑input to 7‑segment truth table for 0‑9 and A‑F.
  • Includes gate sharing to minimise logic.
  • Not built due to 3D wiring complexity in redstone.

Future possibilities

  • Adding a hundreds digit (another layer).
  • Implementing the hexadecimal decoder in a larger world.
  • Writing a Python simulator that mirrors the redstone logic.