Different Types of Minecart Collectors (Minecraft 1.5 Snapshot 13w06b)
Channel: Frumple
Date: 10/02/2013

Download the Minecraft save file here (Note: only works with Minecraft 1.5 snapshot 13w06b or later):
http://www.adrive.com/public/MJjhWK/Minecart Collectors.zip

Cactus-Powered Minecart Collector

Pros:
+ No refilling required
+ No redstone required
+ Makes no noise

Cons:
- About 5% of all item drops are lost
- Blocks adjacent to cactus must be empty

Eternal Fire Minecart Collector

Pros:
+ No refilling required
+ No redstone required

Cons:
- About 20% of all item drops are lost
- Fire crackling sound is noisy

Arrows-Powered Minecart Collector

Pros:
+ Captures 100% of all item drops

Cons:
- Limited uses before requiring a refill 
  - In one dispenser: (64 per stack * 9 stacks) / 2 arrows per use = 288 uses
- Requires a precisely-timed monostable circuit to trigger the dispenser twice in quick succession
- Arrow shooting sound is noisy

Directed Fire Minecart Collector (using Fire Charges or Flint and Steel)

Pros:
+ Captures 100% of all item drops
+ Only requires a simple delayed redstone circuit

Cons:
- Limited uses before requiring a refill 
  - For Fire Charges in one dispenser: 64 per stack * 9 stacks = 576 uses
  - For Flint and Steel in one dispenser: 65 uses * 9 items = 585 uses
- Fire Charge shooting sound is noisy
- For Flint and Steel only, have to wait until fire burns itself out before sending more carts, otherwise those carts will be destroyed