Radar channels

[vasyanator]

TL;DR

Radars can have many channels.

What?

I suggest adding channels to radars to transmit logic signals. The channel can be set both manually and with the help of logic.

Why?

Right now, radars on a single surface can't transmit much information. They only have a red and green channel, which may not be enough for much logic.

[R060]

You can use an encoding technique to encode your input signal into 32 bits of the carrier signal. First arithmetic combinator will take your input signal and mask (truncate) it with "AND" operation by a constant "2^N - 1", where "N" is a number of bits you want to transmit. Second arithmetic combinator will "shift-left" the value by a number of bits "M". That way if you encode your signals in a way that carrier bits will not add-up on the wire, you can then decode them back by "shift-right" and "AND" mask again.
It will cut down on a range the original value can have to the number of bits "N", but you either way constrained by 32 bits in original (more precisely, 31 bits + 1 for sign). Also you will need to encode each distinct signal by each separate pair of combinators.

There is also a way to encode signals across time and saving updates with S-R latch, but I stop post here.

[pepoluan]

I'd recommend using Schall Virtual Signal mod.

That mod adds A LOT of new virtual signals.

Just feed the signal you want to 'modulate' through an Arithmetic combinator set to * 1, then `demodulate` it on the consuming side with another Arithmetic * 1.

[Loup&Snoop]

+1

When I only get 2 radar channels (2 wires), it makes me value them so highly that it makes me not use the feature at all. Because that is all you get for the surface, and if I use it for one thing, then I can’t add anything more without having the signals all mixed up!

imo, it would work best like in AAI signal transmission, where the radar has a string to identify separate channels. Then it would make more sense to have interplanetary/interstellar radar connections.

[Turokos]

I'd recommend using Schall Virtual Signal mod.

I believe that multi channel radar would be something for this mode. I really like the mod and having a smaller receiving dish (=> the radar) would be really nice.

[eugenekay]

You can use an encoding technique to encode your input signal into 32 bits of the carrier signal. First arithmetic combinator will take your input signal and mask (truncate) it with "AND" operation by a constant "2^N - 1", where "N" is a number of bits you want to transmit. Second arithmetic combinator will "shift-left" the value by a number of bits "M". That way if you encode your signals in a way that carrier bits will not add-up on the wire, you can then decode them back by "shift-right" and "AND" mask again.
It will cut down on a range the original value can have to the number of bits "N", but you either way constrained by 32 bits in original (more precisely, 31 bits + 1 for sign). Also you will need to encode each distinct signal by each separate pair of combinators.

There is also a way to encode signals across time and saving updates with S-R latch, but I stop post here.

While neat, this takes a lot of combinators to implement - and several Ticks of delay to un/pack signals from each Bit. I had to scrap my implementation after chasing down too many Timing and Off-by-One errors....


Instead, try using the Quality dots! You can have up to 10 channels (one per Level * Color). The Selector Combinator has special modes to Transfer or Filter signals based upon these flags, with minimal Lag.

[Shulmeister]

While neat, this takes a lot of combinators to implement - and several Ticks of delay to un/pack signals from each Bit. I had to scrap my implementation after chasing down too many Timing and Off-by-One errors....

here is a simple way of transmitting data on different channel using radar: 112723

[Wenihal]

+1 that would be awesome. One channel is just not enough for big bases with a lot of circuit controlled processes.

I imagine that functionality like you click on a radar and there is a list of channels (0-9 or 1-10 - depends what you prefer ). Radars connected to the same channel transmit both red&green signals between each other.

[credomane]

I was working on a modulation/demodulation system years ago (read: before 1.0 even) to run over my central "rail" network. My rail bps also had big electric polls that brought power along with red and green circuit wires everywhere. I just never finished my mod/demod system due to complications (read: I sucked at pre-2.0 combinators...not that I'm great at it now. I just suck less)

Well seeing this post I decided to go revisit that design and finish it. This is effectively radar channels. By default the controller take over both red and green wires on the radars. You can disconnect either color from the radar once you paste the controller if you want to use said color for something else. Just remember which ever color you disconnect from the controller radar then the corresponding modulator and demodulator blueprints for that color won't work until that color is reconnected. Also the virtual signal of copper wire is a reserved signal. Don't use it or things won't work properly. All other signals, any number of signals and any value on said signals are all perfectly fine to use. Also this is "time-division multiplexing" so the more "channels" you have the controller looping through the less frequent updates become. Each channel and all signals on that channel are broadcast for 1 tick. By default there are 60 ticks per second. So plenty fast but something to be mindful of.

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04-25-2025, 00-03-16.png (2.19 MiB) Viewed 158 times