Ribbon Reader

Ribbon Reader is an automation building used with Automation Ribbon to move a signal between a normal Automation Wire and a ribbon network. It is the counterpart to Ribbon Writer, and like the various bridge buildings it exchanges heat with the tile it occupies, which matters when placing it near temperature-sensitive builds.

The building’s input port has a special appearance in the automation overlay, and its color partially reflects the input signal. When connected to an Automation Ribbon on its output side, the signal is written into bit 1 of the ribbon while bits 2, 3, and 4 remain red. It can also read directly from an Automation Wire; in that case the incoming signal is treated as bit 1.

A few practical notes:

• The reader can be used to delay a signal by one automation tick by routing an Automation Wire into it.
• Because it transfers heat with the tile it occupies, it can unintentionally affect nearby hot or cold machinery.
• Its behavior is focused on bit 1, so the other bits on the ribbon are not changed by a simple wire input.