diff --git a/demos/digmeout.sh b/demos/digmeout.sh
index 43f1b1d..cc13793 100644
--- a/demos/digmeout.sh
+++ b/demos/digmeout.sh
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ function hook_move() {
 	if [[ ${pos[1]} -lt -96 ]]; then
 		# utf-8 is actually only valid for strings created in the UTF world region
 		# everything else is just sparkling unicode
-		pkt_disconnect "$(xxd -p -r <<< "c2af5c5c5f28e38384295f2fc2af")"
+		pkt_disconnect "$(unhex <<< "c2af5c5c5f28e38384295f2fc2af")"
 	fi
 }
 
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ function hook_keepalive() {
 function hook_ping() {
 	json='{"version":{"name":"1.18.1","protocol":757},"players":{"max":1,"online":0,"sample":[]},"description":{"text":"Minigame: §adigmeout§r | '"$time_left"' seconds per game"},"favicon":"data:image/png;base64,'"$(base64 -w0 icon.png)"'"}'
 	res="$(str_len "$json")$(echo -n "$json" | xxd -p)"
-	echo "$(hexpacket_len "$res")00$res" | xxd -p -r
+	send_packet "00" "$res"
 }
 
 function hook_inventory() {
diff --git a/demos/v.sh b/demos/v.sh
index be66de4..44e5a04 100644
--- a/demos/v.sh
+++ b/demos/v.sh
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ function hook_swing() {
 function hook_ping() {
 	json='{"version":{"name":"1.18.1","protocol":757},"players":{"max":1,"online":0,"sample":[]},"description":{"text":"§c♡♡♡§a h,,hi --><-- §c♡♡♡  §r \ncome see what I made?"},"favicon":"data:image/png;base64,'"$(base64 -w0 icon.png)"'"}'
 	res="$(str_len "$json")$(echo -n "$json" | xxd -p)"
-	echo "$(hexpacket_len "$res")00$res" | xxd -p -r
+	send_packet "00" "$res"
 }
 
 function hook_start() {
diff --git a/mc.sh b/mc.sh
index 01d9c58..cfff1a4 100755
--- a/mc.sh
+++ b/mc.sh
@@ -25,14 +25,14 @@ function keep_alive() {
 	while true; do
 		sleep 1
 		log "sending keepalive"
-		echo '092100000000000000ff' | xxd -p -r
+		echo '092100000000000000ff' | unhex
 		# random data
 
 		#res=$(printf '%016x' $time)
 		#res=$res$res
 		#log time: $res
 		#time=$((time+240))
-		#echo -n "$(hexpacket_len "$res")59$res" | xxd -p -r
+		#echo -n "$(hexpacket_len "$res")59$res" | unhex
 	done
 }
 
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ while true; do
 
 			state=''
 		elif [[ "$state" == '02' ]]; then
-			nick=$(cut -c 5- <<< "$a" | xxd -p -r | grep -Poh '[A-Za-z0-9_-]*')
+			nick=$(cut -c 5- <<< "$a" | unhex | grep -Poh '[A-Za-z0-9_-]*')
 			eid=$(printf "%04x" $RANDOM | cut -c 1-4)
 			mkdir -p $TEMP/players/$nick
 			echo -n $eid > $TEMP/players/$nick/eid
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ while true; do
 
 				# random uuid						string len		string (nick)
 			res="0000000000000000000000000000$eid$(str_len "$nick")$(echo -n "$nick" | xxd -p)"
-			echo -n "$(hexpacket_len "$res")02$res" | xxd -p -r
+			send_packet "02" "$res"
 
 			res="0100$eid" 			# entity id
 			res+="00" 				# not hardcore
@@ -156,13 +156,12 @@ while true; do
 			res+="00"				# is debug (surprisingly, no)
 			res+="01"				# is flat (yeah, sure)
 
-
-			echo -n "$(hexpacket_len "$res")26$res" | xxd -p -r
+			send_packet "26" "$res"
 			log "sent join game"			
 			#res="$(encode_position 10 10 10)"
 			#res+="00000000" # angle as float
 
-			#echo -n "$(hexpacket_len "$res")4B$res" | xxd -p -r
+			#echo -n "$(hexpacket_len "$res")4B$res" | unhex
 			#log "sent spawn position"
 
 			hook_inventory
@@ -183,7 +182,7 @@ while true; do
 		fi
 	elif [[ $a == "01"* ]]; then
 		log "responding to 01"
-		echo "$len$a" | xxd -p -r
+		echo "$len$a" | unhex
 		log "bye"
 		exit
 	elif [[ $a == "0f"* ]]; then
@@ -211,9 +210,9 @@ while true; do
 		hook_block
 	elif [[ $a == "03"* ]]; then
 		if [[ $((0x$(cut -c 3-4 <<< "$a"))) -lt 127 ]]; then # lazy varint check
-			msg=$(cut -c 5- <<< "$a" | xxd -p -r)
+			msg=$(cut -c 5- <<< "$a" | unhex)
 		else
-			msg=$(cut -c 3- <<< "$a" | xxd -p -r)
+			msg=$(cut -c 3- <<< "$a" | unhex)
 		fi
 		hook_chat		
 	else
diff --git a/src/hooks.sh b/src/hooks.sh
index 57e9486..5c44d2c 100644
--- a/src/hooks.sh
+++ b/src/hooks.sh
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ function hook_ping() {
 	#json='{"version":{"name":"1.18.1","protocol":757},"players":{"max":100,"online":5,"sample":[{"name":"uwu","id":"4566e69f-c907-48ee-8d71-d7ba5aa00d20"}]},"description":{"text":"Hello world"}}'
 	json='{"version":{"name":"§a§kaaa§aUwU§kaaa","protocol":756},"players":{"max":1,"online":0,"sample":[]},"description":{"text":"§aUwU"},"favicon":"data:image/png;base64,'"$(base64 -w0 icon.png)"'"}'
 	res="$(str_len "$json")$(echo -n "$json" | xxd -p)"
-	echo "$(hexpacket_len "$res")00$res" | xxd -p -r
+	send_packet "00" "$res"
 }
 
 # on defining inventory contents
diff --git a/src/int.sh b/src/int.sh
index 06e050e..1575453 100644
--- a/src/int.sh
+++ b/src/int.sh
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ function packet_len() {
 
 # hexpacket_len(hexpacket)
 function hexpacket_len() {
-	int2varint $((($(echo -n "$1" | xxd -p -r | wc -c)+1)))
+	int2varint $((($(echo -n "$1" | unhex | wc -c)+1)))
 }
 
 # str_len(string)
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ function str_len() {
 
 # hexstrl_len(hexstring)
 function hexstr_len() {
-	int2varint $(echo -n "$1" | xxd -p -r | wc -c)
+	int2varint $(echo -n "$1" | unhex | wc -c)
 }
 
 # hex2bin(hexstring)
diff --git a/src/log.sh b/src/log.sh
index 807c120..e0ed07b 100644
--- a/src/log.sh
+++ b/src/log.sh
@@ -17,5 +17,5 @@ function hexlog() {
 	echo -n "$@" | xxd >&2	
 }
 function rhexlog() {
-	echo -n "$@" | xxd -p -r | xxd >&2		
+	echo -n "$@" | unhex | xxd >&2		
 }
diff --git a/src/misc.sh b/src/misc.sh
index 507f13a..390d502 100644
--- a/src/misc.sh
+++ b/src/misc.sh
@@ -4,3 +4,7 @@
 function repeat() {
 	printf -- "$2%.0s" $(seq 1 $1)
 }
+
+function unhex() {
+	xxd -p -r -c999999
+}
diff --git a/src/packet.sh b/src/packet.sh
index 7478b09..113aa02 100644
--- a/src/packet.sh
+++ b/src/packet.sh
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ function pkt_pos() {
 		res+="00"				# teleport id (?)
 		res+="00"				# dismount vehicle?
 
-		echo -n "$(hexpacket_len "$res")38$res" | xxd -p -r
+		send_packet "38" "$res"
 		log "sent player look and position"
 }
 
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ function pkt_chunk() {
 	else
 		chunk_header
 		
-		l=$(echo -n "8002" | xxd -p -r | varint2int)
+		l=$(echo -n "8002" | unhex | varint2int)
 
 		chunk+="$(repeat $((l*16)) "$fill")"
 
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ function pkt_chunk() {
 
 	res+="00 01 00 00 00 00 00 00" # empty bitsets and light arrays
 
-	echo -n "$(hexpacket_len "$res")22$res" | xxd -p -r
+	send_packet "22" "$res"
 	
 	log "sending chunk data"
 }
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ function pkt_effect() {
 	res+="$(encode_position $1 $2 $3)"
 	res+="00000000"
 	res+="00"
-	echo -n "$(hexpacket_len "$res")23$res" | xxd -p -r
+	send_packet "23" "$res"
 	log "sending effect"
 }
 
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ function pkt_particle() {
 	res+="00000001" # particle data
 	res+="$(printf '%08x' $5)" # particle count
 	res+="" # data (left blank)
-	echo -n "$(hexpacket_len "$res")24$res" | xxd -p -r
+	send_packet "24" "$res"
 
 	log "sending particle"
 }
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ function pkt_playerinfo_add() {
 	res+="01" # ping: 1ms
 	res+="00" # has display name: false
 
-	echo -n "$(hexpacket_len "$res")36$res" | xxd -p -r
+	send_packet "36" "$res"
 	
 	log "sent playerinfo"
 }
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ function pkt_spawnplayer() {
 	res+="00" # Angle (256 steps)
 	res+="00" # Pitch (...)
 
-	echo -n "$(hexpacket_len "$res")04$res" | xxd -p -r
+	send_packet "04" "$res"
 	log "sent spawnplayer"
 }
 
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ function pkt_position() {
 	res+="$(to_short $deltaY)"
 	res+="$(to_short $deltaZ)" 
 	res+="00" # on ground
-	echo -n "$(hexpacket_len "$res")29$res" | xxd -p -r
+	send_packet "29" "$res"
 }
 
 # pkt_chatmessage(msg, sender_uuid)
@@ -195,8 +195,8 @@ function pkt_chatmessage() {
 	res="$(str_len "$json")$(echo -n "$json" | xxd -p)"
 	res+="00" # position: chat box
 	res+="$2"
-	
-	echo -n "$(hexpacket_len "$res")0F$res" | xxd -p -r	
+
+	send_packet "0f" "$res"
 }
 
 # pkt_title(msg)
@@ -204,7 +204,7 @@ function pkt_title() {
 	local txt
 	txt='{"text":"'"$1"'"}'
 	res="$(str_len "$txt")$(echo -n "$txt" | xxd -p)"
-	echo -n "$(hexpacket_len "$res")5a$res" | xxd -p -r
+	send_packet "5a" "$res"
 }
 
 # pkt_subtitle(msg)
@@ -212,14 +212,14 @@ function pkt_subtitle() {
 	local txt
 	txt='{"text":"'"$1"'"}'
 	res="$(str_len "$txt")$(echo -n "$txt" | xxd -p)"
-	echo -n "$(hexpacket_len "$res")58$res" | xxd -p -r
+	send_packet "58" "$res"
 }
 
 # pkt_disconnect(reason)
 function pkt_disconnect() {
 	txt='{"text":"'"$1"'"}'
 	res="$(str_len "$txt")$(echo -n "$txt" | xxd -p)"
-	echo -n "$(hexpacket_len "$res")1a$res" | xxd -p -r
+	send_packet "1a" "$res"
 	
 	pkill -P $$
 	pkt_chatmessage "- $nick" "00000000000000000000000000000000" > $TEMP/players/$nick/broadcast
@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@ function pkt_experience() {
 	res="00000000" # experience bar
 	res+="$(int2varint $1)"
 	res+="00"
-	echo -n "$(hexpacket_len "$res")51$res" | xxd -p -r
+	send_packet "51" "$res"
 }
 
 # pkt_inventory(items)
@@ -252,7 +252,7 @@ function pkt_inventory() {
 	done
 	res+="01 00 01 00"
 
-	echo -n "$(hexpacket_len "$res")14$res" | xxd -p -r
+	send_packet "14" "$res"
 	log "sent inventory"
 }
 
@@ -262,7 +262,7 @@ function pkt_diggingack() {
 	res+="$4"
 	res+="$5"
 	res+="01"
-	echo -n "$(hexpacket_len "$res")08$res" | xxd -p -r
+	send_packet "08" "$res"
 	log "sent dig ack"
 }
 
@@ -271,7 +271,8 @@ function pkt_blockbreak() {
 	res="$(int2varint $((0x$eid)))"
 	res+="$(encode_position $1 $2 $3)"
 	res+="$4"
-	echo -n "$(hexpacket_len "$res")09$res" | xxd -p -r
+
+	send_packet "09" "$res"
 }
 
 # pkt_soundeffect(x, y, z, id)
@@ -285,7 +286,7 @@ function pkt_soundeffect() {
 	res+="3f800000" # volume
 	res+="3f800000" # pitch
 
-	echo -n "$(hexpacket_len "$res")5d$res" | xxd -p -r
+	send_packet "5d" "$res"
 	log "sound $(hexpacket_len "$res")5d$res"
 }
 
@@ -293,6 +294,11 @@ function pkt_soundeffect() {
 function pkt_sendblock() {
 	res="$(encode_position $1 $2 $3)"
 	res+="$(int2varint $4)"
-	
-	echo -n "$(hexpacket_len "$res")0c$res" | xxd -p -r
+
+	send_packet "0c" "$res"
+}
+
+# send_packet(id, payload)
+function send_packet() {
+	echo -n "$(hexpacket_len "$2")$1$2" | unhex
 }