diff --git a/devices/limesdr/devicelimesdrparam.h b/devices/limesdr/devicelimesdrparam.h
index 6138b0b80..4f3c20c67 100644
--- a/devices/limesdr/devicelimesdrparam.h
+++ b/devices/limesdr/devicelimesdrparam.h
@@ -28,8 +28,7 @@
  */
 struct DeviceLimeSDRParams
 {
-    lms_device_t *m_dev;         //!< device handle if the party has ownership else 0
-    int          m_channel;      //!< logical device channel number (-1 if none)
+    lms_device_t *m_dev;         //!< device handle
     int          m_nbRxChannels; //!< number of Rx channels (normally 2, we'll see if we really use it...)
     int          m_nbTxChannels; //!< number of Tx channels (normally 2, we'll see if we really use it...)
     lms_range_t  m_lpfRangeRx;   //!< Low pass filter range information (Rx side)
@@ -46,7 +45,6 @@ struct DeviceLimeSDRParams
 
     DeviceLimeSDRParams() :
         m_dev(0),
-        m_channel(-1),
         m_nbRxChannels(0),
         m_nbTxChannels(0),
         m_sampleRate(1e6),
@@ -62,6 +60,7 @@ struct DeviceLimeSDRParams
      */
     bool open(lms_info_str_t deviceStr);
     void close();
+    lms_device_t *getDevice() { return m_dev; }
 
     ~DeviceLimeSDRParams()
     {
diff --git a/devices/limesdr/devicelimesdrshared.h b/devices/limesdr/devicelimesdrshared.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ae8a79ce9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/devices/limesdr/devicelimesdrshared.h
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+// Copyright (C) 2017 Edouard Griffiths, F4EXB                                   //
+//                                                                               //
+// This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify          //
+// it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by          //
+// the Free Software Foundation as version 3 of the License, or                  //
+//                                                                               //
+// This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,               //
+// but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of                //
+// MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the                  //
+// GNU General Public License V3 for more details.                               //
+//                                                                               //
+// You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License             //
+// along with this program. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.          //
+///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+#ifndef DEVICES_LIMESDR_DEVICELIMESDRSHARED_H_
+#define DEVICES_LIMESDR_DEVICELIMESDRSHARED_H_
+
+#include <cstddef>
+#include "devicelimesdrparam.h"
+
+/**
+ * Structure shared by a buddy with other buddies
+ */
+struct DeviceLimeSDRShared
+{
+    DeviceLimeSDRParams *m_deviceParams; //!< unique hardware device parameters
+    std::size_t         m_channel;       //!< logical device channel number (-1 if none)
+
+    DeviceLimeSDRShared() :
+        m_deviceParams(0),
+        m_channel(-1)
+    {}
+
+    ~DeviceLimeSDRShared()
+    {}
+};
+
+#endif /* DEVICES_LIMESDR_DEVICELIMESDRSHARED_H_ */
diff --git a/plugins/samplesource/limesdrinput/limesdrinput.cpp b/plugins/samplesource/limesdrinput/limesdrinput.cpp
index ad267588f..46ef22560 100644
--- a/plugins/samplesource/limesdrinput/limesdrinput.cpp
+++ b/plugins/samplesource/limesdrinput/limesdrinput.cpp
@@ -15,8 +15,12 @@
 ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 
 #include <QMutexLocker>
+#include <cstddef>
 #include <string.h>
+#include "lime/LimeSuite.h"
+
 #include "limesdrinput.h"
+#include "limesdr/devicelimesdrparam.h"
 
 
 LimeSDRInput::LimeSDRInput(DeviceSourceAPI *deviceAPI) :
@@ -42,33 +46,40 @@ bool LimeSDRInput::openDevice()
     if (m_deviceAPI->getSourceBuddies().size() > 0) // look source sibling first
     {
         DeviceSinkAPI *sourceBuddy = m_deviceAPI->getSourceBuddies()[0];
-        m_deviceParams = *(sourceBuddy->getBuddySharedPtr()); // copy parameters
+        m_deviceShared = *(sourceBuddy->getBuddySharedPtr());              // copy shared data
+        DeviceLimeSDRParams *deviceParams = m_deviceShared.m_deviceParams; // get device parameters
 
-        if (m_deviceAPI->getSourceBuddies().size() == m_deviceParams.m_nbRxChannels)
+        if (deviceParams == 0)
+        {
+            qCritical("LimeSDRInput::openDevice: cannot get device parameters from Rx buddy");
+            return false; // the device params should have been created by the buddy
+        }
+
+        if (m_deviceAPI->getSourceBuddies().size() == deviceParams->m_nbRxChannels)
         {
             return false; // no more Rx channels available in device
         }
         // look for unused channel number
-        char *busyChannels = new char[m_deviceParams.m_nbRxChannels];
-        memset(busyChannels, 0, m_deviceParams.m_nbRxChannels);
+        char *busyChannels = new char[deviceParams->m_nbRxChannels];
+        memset(busyChannels, 0, deviceParams->m_nbRxChannels);
 
         for (int i = 0; i < m_deviceAPI->getSourceBuddies().size(); i++)
         {
             DeviceSinkAPI *buddy = m_deviceAPI->getSourceBuddies()[i];
-            DeviceLimeSDRParams *buddyParms = buddy->getBuddySharedPtr();
-            busyChannels[buddyParms->m_channel] = 1;
+            DeviceLimeSDRShared *buddyShared = buddy->getBuddySharedPtr();
+            busyChannels[buddyShared->m_channel] = 1;
         }
 
-        int ch = 0;
+        std::size_t ch = 0;
 
-        for (;ch < m_deviceParams.m_nbRxChannels; ch++)
+        for (;ch < deviceParams->m_nbRxChannels; ch++)
         {
             if (busyChannels[ch] == 0) {
                 break; // first available is the good one
             }
         }
 
-        m_deviceParams.m_channel = ch;
+        m_deviceShared.m_channel = ch;
         delete[] busyChannels;
     }
     // look for Tx buddies and get reference to common parameters
@@ -76,63 +87,101 @@ bool LimeSDRInput::openDevice()
     else if (m_deviceAPI->getSinkBuddies().size() > 0) // then sink
     {
         DeviceSinkAPI *sinkBuddy = m_deviceAPI->getSinkBuddies()[0];
-        m_deviceParams = *(sinkBuddy->getBuddySharedPtr()); // copy parameters
-        m_deviceParams.m_channel = 0; // take first channel
+        m_deviceShared = *(sinkBuddy->getBuddySharedPtr()); // copy parameters
+
+        if (m_deviceShared.m_deviceParams == 0)
+        {
+            qCritical("LimeSDRInput::openDevice: cannot get device parameters from Tx buddy");
+            return false; // the device params should have been created by the buddy
+        }
+
+        m_deviceShared.m_channel = 0; // take first channel
     }
     // There are no buddies then create the first LimeSDR common parameters
     // open the device this will also populate common fields
     // take the first Rx channel
     else
     {
-        m_deviceParams.open((lms_info_str_t) qPrintable(m_deviceAPI->getSampleSourceSerial()));
-        m_deviceParams.m_channel = 0; // take first channel
+        m_deviceShared.m_deviceParams = new DeviceLimeSDRParams();
+        m_deviceShared.m_deviceParams->open((lms_info_str_t) qPrintable(m_deviceAPI->getSampleSourceSerial()));
+        m_deviceShared.m_channel = 0; // take first channel
     }
 
-    m_deviceAPI->setBuddySharedPtr(&m_deviceParams); // propagate common parameters to API
+    m_deviceAPI->setBuddySharedPtr(&m_deviceShared); // propagate common parameters to API
 
-    // TODO: acquire the channel
+    // acquire the channel
+
+    if (LMS_EnableChannel(m_deviceShared.m_deviceParams->getDevice(), LMS_CH_RX, m_deviceShared.m_channel, true) != 0)
+    {
+        qCritical("LimeSDRInput::openDevice: cannot enable Rx channel %u", m_deviceShared.m_channel);
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    // set up the stream
+
+    m_streamId.channel =  m_deviceShared.m_channel; //channel number
+    m_streamId.channel.fifoSize = 1024 * 1024;      //fifo size in samples TODO: adjust if necessary
+    m_streamId.throughputVsLatency = 1.0;           //optimize for max throughput
+    m_streamId.isTx = false;                        //RX channel
+    m_streamId.dataFmt = lms_stream_t::LMS_FMT_I12; //12-bit integers
+
+    if (LMS_SetupStream(m_deviceShared.m_deviceParams->getDevice(), &m_streamId) != 0)
+    {
+        qCritical("LimeSDRInput::openDevice: cannot setup the stream on Rx channel %u", m_deviceShared.m_channel);
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    // TODO: start / stop streaming is done in the thread. You will need to pass the stream Id to the thread at thread creation
 
     return true;
 }
 
 void LimeSDRInput::closeDevice()
 {
-    // TODO: release the channel
+    // destroy the stream
 
-    // No buddies effectively close the device
-    if ((m_deviceAPI->getSinkBuddies().size() == 0) && (m_deviceAPI->getSourceBuddies().size() == 0))
+    LMS_DestroyStream(m_deviceShared.m_deviceParams->getDevice(), &m_streamId);
+
+    // release the channel
+
+    if (LMS_EnableChannel(m_deviceShared.m_deviceParams->getDevice(), LMS_CH_RX, m_deviceShared.m_channel, false) != 0)
     {
-        m_deviceParams.close();
+        qWarning("LimeSDRInput::closeDevice: cannot disable Rx channel %u", m_deviceShared.m_channel);
     }
 
-    m_deviceParams.m_dev = 0;
+    m_deviceShared.m_channel = -1;
+
+    // No buddies so effectively close the device
+
+    if ((m_deviceAPI->getSinkBuddies().size() == 0) && (m_deviceAPI->getSourceBuddies().size() == 0))
+    {
+        m_deviceShared.m_deviceParams->close();
+        delete m_deviceShared.m_deviceParams;
+        m_deviceShared.m_deviceParams = 0;
+    }
 }
 
 bool LimeSDRInput::start()
 {
-    QMutexLocker mutexLocker(&m_mutex);
-
-    if (!m_deviceParams.m_dev) {
+    if (!m_deviceShared.m_dev) {
         return false;
     }
 
     if (m_running) stop();
 
-    if ((m_limeSDRInputThread = new LimeSDRInputThread(m_deviceParams.m_dev, &m_sampleFifo)) == 0)
+    if ((m_limeSDRInputThread = new LimeSDRInputThread(m_deviceShared.m_deviceParams->getDevice(), &m_sampleFifo)) == 0)
     {
         qFatal("LimeSDRInput::start: out of memory");
         stop();
         return false;
     }
 
-    m_limeSDRInputThread->setSamplerate(m_settings.m_devSampleRate);
-    m_limeSDRInputThread->setLog2Decimation(m_settings.m_log2Decim);
+    m_limeSDRInputThread->setSamplerate(m_deviceShared.m_deviceParams->m_sampleRate);
+    m_limeSDRInputThread->setLog2Decimation(m_settings.m_log2SoftDecim);
     m_limeSDRInputThread->setFcPos((int) m_settings.m_fcPos);
 
     m_limeSDRInputThread->startWork();
 
-    mutexLocker.unlock();
-
     applySettings(m_settings, true);
     m_running = true;
 
@@ -141,8 +190,6 @@ bool LimeSDRInput::start()
 
 void LimeSDRInput::stop()
 {
-    QMutexLocker mutexLocker(&m_mutex);
-
     if (m_limeSDRInputThread != 0)
     {
         m_limeSDRInputThread->stopWork();
diff --git a/plugins/samplesource/limesdrinput/limesdrinput.h b/plugins/samplesource/limesdrinput/limesdrinput.h
index 1c779b84e..43b155437 100644
--- a/plugins/samplesource/limesdrinput/limesdrinput.h
+++ b/plugins/samplesource/limesdrinput/limesdrinput.h
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
 
 #include <QString>
 #include "dsp/devicesamplesource.h"
-#include "limesdr/devicelimesdrparam.h"
+#include "limesdr/devicelimesdrshared.h"
 #include "limesdrinputsettings.h"
 
 class DeviceSourceAPI;
@@ -48,7 +48,9 @@ private:
     LimeSDRInputThread* m_limeSDRInputThread;
     QString m_deviceDescription;
     bool m_running;
-    DeviceLimeSDRParams m_deviceParams;
+    DeviceLimeSDRShared m_deviceShared;
+
+    lms_stream_t m_streamId;
 
     bool openDevice();
     void closeDevice();