REDSTONEPEDIA › Circuits › Timers and pulse multipliers

Several pulses per press (burst)

8 pulses per press · 25 blocks

One press gives exactly 8 pulses, 4 ticks apart.

4 ticks (0.2 s) apart · starts after 8 ticks (0.4 s) · fits in 7×4×3

8 pulses per pressPulses per press3D view loading (or not available in this browser)

Every size 6

The best design for each size: pick one to see it.

sizeblocksnumbers
2 pulses7 blocks6 ticks (0.3 s) apart · starts after 12 ticks (0.6 s)
3 pulses9 blocks4 ticks (0.2 s) apart · starts after 14 ticks (0.7 s)
4 pulses19 blocks4 to 6 ticks (0.2 s to 0.3 s) apart · starts after 6 ticks (0.3 s)
8 pulses (this page)25 blocks4 ticks (0.2 s) apart · starts after 8 ticks (0.4 s)
16 pulses25 blocks4 ticks (0.2 s) apart · starts after 8 ticks (0.4 s)
64 pulses25 blocks4 ticks (0.2 s) apart · starts after 8 ticks (0.4 s)

Try it

Hold IN under the view for a long press, tap it for a short one: each tap turns OUT red exactly 8 times (the box marked OUT turns red while the output is on). Press play under the view to watch a demo on a loop; touch any other control to take over.

How this design does it: Gives 8 output pulses (2 ticks on, one every 4 ticks) for each input, and stays 25 blocks for any count: the count is the number of items in a dropper (5 items for 8 pulses, up to 579 pulses with 9 full stacks).

Build it

Download .litematic Download the design as text

The .litematic opens in Litematica (Minecraft 26.3): every block of the design in one region. The text file is the same build written as plain text, block by block.

Comes loaded with 5 cobblestone in its containers: the download includes them; building it by hand, put them in first.

Blocks used: comparator copper bulb dropper hopper observer redstone torch redstone wire sticky piston stone

Details: how it works, measurements and properties

In depth

Each input pulse gives exactly 8 output pulses (2 ticks (0.1 s) each, one every 4 ticks (0.2 s)): a pulse multiplier. Builds use it to fire a dispenser or a dropper exactly 8 times, or push a piston 8 times, from one button press.

The first comes 8 ticks (0.4 s) after the input; the whole burst takes 38 ticks (1.9 s).

Any input of 2 ticks (0.1 s) (the shortest a real input makes) or longer gives the same burst (a button, a plate or a held lever alike). A second press during the burst: one that comes within a few game ticks is swallowed, a later one adds a second burst. Pressed again and again it keeps up with presses > 40 ticks (2 s) apart: fed a clock that fast, it multiplies its frequency by 8.

How to try it

Press play under the view to watch the demo on a loop: single input pulses of 1 to 40 ticks (2 s) (each must give exactly 8 output pulses), then pairs of presses closer and closer together (what a second press does), then trains of 6 presses faster and faster (how fast it keeps up). The badge reads demo with the step it is on, and the same sequence is drawn as a timing diagram below. Touch any control to stop it and try the circuit yourself.

To try it: press and hold the IN button of the bar (or the cell tagged IN) to power that input; a quick tap sends a short 2-tick pulse: each tap gives exactly 8 flashes of the output.

Inputs are tagged in lime; the output is tagged OUT: the redstone lamp in that cell (the view adds it to show the output) lights while the output is on (the output strip by the demo badge shows its last 40 game ticks, 2 seconds). Drag to look around, pinch or scroll to zoom, step one game tick at a time with the step button.

Inputs and output over time

The input follows this schedule (the 3D view's demo plays the same). Lime: an input is on; orange: the output is on (taller = a stronger signal, 1 to 15). Time runs left to right in game ticks (20 ticks = 1 s).

2 presses 240 ticks apart6 presses, 40 ticks apart6 presses, 30 ticks apartINOUTticks010020030040050060070080090010001100120013001400150016001700180019002000210022002300240025002600270028002900300031003200330034003500360037003800390040004100420043004400450046004700480049005000510052005300

Swipe the diagram sideways: the whole sequence lasts 5382 ticks (4 min 29.1 s).

Step by step (25 lines)
in  2 ticks (0.1 s): 8 pulse(s)
in  3 ticks (0.15 s): 8 pulse(s)
in  4 ticks (0.2 s): 8 pulse(s)
in  6 ticks (0.3 s): 8 pulse(s)
in 10 ticks (0.5 s): 8 pulse(s)
in 20 ticks (1 s): 8 pulse(s)
in 40 ticks (2 s): 8 pulse(s)
second input 6 ticks (0.3 s) after the first (inside the 38 ticks (1.9 s) burst): 2 pulses: breaks
second input 8 ticks (0.4 s) after the first (inside the 38 ticks (1.9 s) burst): 3 pulses: breaks
second input 10 ticks (0.5 s) after the first (inside the 38 ticks (1.9 s) burst): 3 pulses: breaks
second input 12 ticks (0.6 s) after the first (inside the 38 ticks (1.9 s) burst): 4 pulses: breaks
second input 16 ticks (0.8 s) after the first (inside the 38 ticks (1.9 s) burst): 5 pulses: breaks
second input 20 ticks (1 s) after the first (inside the 38 ticks (1.9 s) burst): 6 pulses: breaks
second input 24 ticks (1.2 s) after the first (inside the 38 ticks (1.9 s) burst): 11 pulses: restarts
second input 32 ticks (1.6 s) after the first (inside the 38 ticks (1.9 s) burst): 8 pulses: ignores
6 inputs every 40 ticks (2 s): 24 pulses  <- not 6N
6 inputs every 30 ticks (1.5 s): 21 pulses  <- not 6N
6 inputs every 20 ticks (1 s): 37 pulses  <- not 6N
6 inputs every 16 ticks (0.8 s): 32 pulses  <- not 6N
6 inputs every 12 ticks (0.6 s): 29 pulses  <- not 6N
6 inputs every 10 ticks (0.5 s): 27 pulses  <- not 6N
6 inputs every 8 ticks (0.4 s): 24 pulses  <- not 6N
6 inputs every 6 ticks (0.3 s): 23 pulses  <- not 6N
6 inputs every 5 ticks (0.25 s): 22 pulses  <- not 6N
6 inputs every 4 ticks (0.2 s): 20 pulses  <- not 6N

Measurements

metricvaluewhat it means
N8output pulses per input pulse
pulse2 ticks (0.1 s)the length of each output pulse
period4 ticks (0.2 s)game ticks from one output pulse's start to the next one's
latency8 ticks (0.4 s)game ticks from the input turning on to the first output pulse
span38 ticks (1.9 s)game ticks from the first output pulse's start to the last one's end
min-pulse2 ticks (0.1 s) (the shortest a real input makes)the shortest input pulse handled correctly (every longer one works too)
retriggermixedwhat a second press during the burst does: ignored, restarts, adds N more, or mixed (depends on when)
repeat> 40 ticks (2 s)the fastest presses (one every this many game ticks) that still each give exactly N pulses

Notes from its designer

Gives 8 output pulses (2 ticks on, one every 4 ticks) for each input, and stays 25 blocks for any count: the count is the number of items in a dropper (5 items for 8 pulses, up to 579 pulses with 9 full stacks). Details: the input cell is a copper bulb; its comparator and an observer give one pulse per input rising edge, which toggles a second bulb on. The comparator reading that bulb locks the return hopper and powers a sticky piston that pushes an observer face to face with another, and the pair fires the dropper every 4 ticks, one item into the hopper each time; the other observer's back is the output. When the dropper is empty, its comparator turns off and the torch on its output block lights, toggling the bulb off: the piston pulls the observer away and the hopper returns the items, 8 ticks each.

Properties

StudyTimers and pulse multipliers
KindSeveral pulses per press (burst)
Blocks placed25 (not counting the input levers or buttons and the lamp the view adds)
Box7×4×3 (84 blocks of space)
Made of (the blocks that change state)comparator, copper bulb, dropper, hopper, observer, redstone torch, redstone wire, sticky piston
Inputs / outputsIN (repeater) / OUT
Design filepm-burst-items-8

The design file

on GitHub

Design file (38 lines)
# Pulses per press: 8 pulses per press · 25 blocks
# https://vjeux.github.io/redstonepedia/circuits/pulsemult/pm-burst-items-8.html
name: pm-burst-items-8
circuit: burst 8
port input: 0 1 0
port output: 7 4 0
origin: 0 0 0
nbt: 7 1 0 {Items:[{Slot:0b,id:"minecraft:cobblestone",count:5}]}
palette:
  S minecraft:stone
  b minecraft:waxed_copper_bulb[lit=false,powered=false]
  w minecraft:comparator[facing=west,mode=compare,powered=false]
  W minecraft:observer[facing=west,powered=false]
  t minecraft:redstone_wall_torch[facing=west,lit=false]
  e minecraft:comparator[facing=east,mode=compare,powered=false]
  D minecraft:dropper[facing=south,triggered=false]
  H minecraft:hopper[enabled=true,facing=north]
  n minecraft:comparator[facing=north,mode=compare,powered=false]
  r minecraft:redstone_wire[east=side,north=none,power=0,south=none,west=side]
  P minecraft:sticky_piston[extended=false,facing=north]
  U minecraft:observer[facing=up,powered=false]
  V minecraft:observer[facing=down,powered=false]
layer 0:
  .S....S.
  ...S....
  ...SSSS.
layer 1:
  bwWbtSeD
  ...n...H
  ...rrrrS
layer 2:
  ........
  .......U
  .......P
layer 3:
  .......V
  ........
  ........