Okay, let's talk observers. You know when you're building some crazy redstone contraption and suddenly realize "man, I wish I could detect when that piston moves automatically?" That's where these little blocks save the day. I remember trying to build an automatic sugarcane farm years ago without an observer – what a headache! Had to use complicated BUD switches that broke every update. Thank goodness for observers now.
What Exactly Is This Observer Block?
Think of it like a security camera for blocks. If anything changes in the block it's watching – a wheat plant growing, a door opening, even gravel falling – it sends out a redstone pulse. The cool part? It detects both block changes AND state changes. Like when a chest gets opened or closed, or when crops grow to the next stage.
The front face (that grid pattern) is the "eye" watching for changes, while the dot on the back is the output side. When it spots a change, it sends a 1-tick redstone pulse – super short but enough to trigger most devices. Honestly, Mojang nailed it with this design.
Where Observers Shine (And Where They Don't)
These aren't just fancy decoration. Here’s what they’re amazing at:
- Automated farms – Harvest pumpkins/melons the second they grow
- Password doors – Detect button presses in sequence
- Piston feed tapes – Create moving displays
- Item sorters – Trigger when items flow through
Heads up though: Observers can cause lag in huge quantities. On my survival server, someone built a mega farm with 200+ observers and we all started freezing. Also, they sometimes detect "ghost" changes after chunk reloads. Annoying when your tree farm starts firing randomly after logging in.
Gathering Your Observer Materials
Before we dive into how to make an observer in Minecraft, you gotta hunt down three ingredients. No rare stuff, but you'll need access to the Nether:
| Material | How to Get It | Quantity Needed | My Survival Tips |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cobblestone | Mine stone with any pickaxe | 6 | Dig at Y=-10 to get tons fast |
| Redstone Dust | Mine redstone ore (Y=-63 to 15) | 2 | Use Fortune III – got 32 dust from one vein last week! |
| Nether Quartz | Mine nether quartz in Nether | 1 | Bring fire resistance – ghasts love quartz fields |
That Nether quartz trips up beginners. Last month my friend rage-quit because he spent hours hunting quartz in caves before remembering it's Nether-only. Don't be like Dave.
Pro farmer trick: Build cobblestone generators early game. Just pour lava over water and mine endlessly. Saves so much time when mass-producing observers for big farms.
Step-by-Step: How to Make an Observer in Minecraft
Got materials? Let's craft. You absolutely need a crafting table – your 2x2 inventory grid won't cut it.
Crafting Recipe Layout
Arrange items EXACTLY like this in the 3x3 grid:
| Cobblestone | Cobblestone | Cobblestone |
| Cobblestone | Redstone | Cobblestone |
| Cobblestone | Nether Quartz | Cobblestone |
See how the quartz sits dead center? That’s crucial. Messed this up three times while recording my YouTube tutorial because I kept putting redstone in the middle. Felt like an idiot.
If you did it right, you’ll hear that satisfying *pop* and get your observer. Now, about placement...
Placing and Facing: It Matters!
Observers have a directional face (the "observer face"). When placing:
- The textured side watches the block it’s placed against
- The dot side outputs redstone signal
Got burned by this in my first auto-smelter build. Placed it backward and spent 20 minutes debugging why my furnace wouldn't activate. Rotate it with your right-click (Java) or L2/LT (consoles) before placing.
No-Craft Workaround (For Desperate Times)
Stranded without quartz? Try these observer alternatives:
| Method | How It Works | Downsides |
|---|---|---|
| BUD Switches | Old-school block update detector using pistons and redstone | Bulky, unreliable after updates |
| Daylight Sensors | Detects light changes for certain farms | Only works outdoors |
| Sculk Sensors (Wild Update) | Detects vibrations nearby | Hard to find, triggers on footsteps |
Honestly? Just gear up and brave the Nether. BUD switches are like using flip phones in 2023 – technically works but painful.
Observer Uses That'll Blow Your Mind
Now that you know how to make an observer in Minecraft, here's why they're game-changers:
Automatic Crop Farms (Zero Effort Harvesting)
My pumpkin farm uses observers watching each stem. When a pumpkin grows:
- Observer detects new pumpkin block
- Sends pulse to piston
- Piston breaks pumpkin instantly
- Items flow into hoppers
Works while you sleep! Only downside: obsessively checking it because harvesting is so satisfying.
Piston Secret Doors
Place observers behind wall blocks. When you place/remove specific block (like a flower pot):
- Observer detects change
- Triggers sticky pistons
- Wall slides open
- Feels like James Bond stuff
Zero-Tick Pistons (Insane Fast Machines)
This broke bedrock edition once – place observer facing piston:
- Piston extends when observer fires
- Observer detects extended piston
- Immediately retracts piston
- Creates near-instant pulse loop
Warning: Can crash weak PCs if overdone. Learned that the hard way experimenting with 50 pistons.
| Redstone Component | Signal Duration | Observer Compatibility |
|---|---|---|
| Observer | 1 redstone tick | Self-contained |
| Button | 10 ticks (wood) | Good for long pulses |
| Pressure Plate | Varies by weight | Unreliable with mobs |
Troubleshooting Observer Problems
Sometimes observers act weird. Based on my testing:
Why does my observer pulse constantly?
Usually happens when watching:
- Fluids (water/lava flow updates)
- Growing plants (every growth stage)
- Chests when items move internally
Fix: Point it at solid blocks instead of containers.
Observer not detecting piston movement?
Common mistakes:
- Facing wrong direction (dot should face circuit)
- Piston too far – redstone only travels 15 blocks
- Powered blocks interfering
Fix: Use redstone dust/repeater to extend signal.
Advanced Observer Hacks
Once you master how to make an observer in Minecraft, try these power moves:
Block Update Detectors (BUDs 2.0)
Place observer watching a target block with redstone beside it. Now:
- If block updates (even visually)
- Observer triggers
- Sends pulse through redstone
Great for detecting sneaky players near hidden bases!
Flying Machines
Pair observers with sticky pistons and slime blocks:
- Observer detects block movement
- Activates piston
- Piston pushes slime blocks
- Observer moves and detects new position
- Loop creates perpetual motion
My first attempt flew into lava. Bring fire resistance.
Observer FAQ: Quick Answers
Does observer work with modded blocks?
Usually yes, if the mod implements block updates properly. Tested with Create mod pipes – works perfectly!
Can observers detect players walking?
Not directly. Use pressure plates or tripwires instead. Though sculk sensors do this beautifully.
Do observers cause lag?
In large numbers? Absolutely. Keep farms under 50 observers per chunk if possible. My pumpkin farm with 120 observers drops my FPS to slideshow levels.
What version added observers?
Java Edition 1.11, Bedrock Edition 1.2 (2016-2017). Still miss pre-observer redstone though – made you more creative!
Remember: Observers are directional. Face the grid toward what you want to watch, dot toward your circuit. Screw this up and nothing works right. Ask how I know.
Final Takeaways
So yeah, that's how to make an observer in Minecraft and bend it to your will. They're not perfect – the short pulse trips beginners, and spamming them lags worlds. But for automating boring tasks? Unbeatable. Once you start using them, you'll wonder how you ever lived without observers.
Still struggling? Hit me up on Twitter @MinecraftObsessed. Helped a kid fix his observer-powered chicken cooker last week – felt like a redstone superhero. Happy crafting!
Leave a Comments