diff --git a/csdr/chain/__init__.py b/csdr/chain/__init__.py
index 7b1e47f..1a39d3d 100644
--- a/csdr/chain/__init__.py
+++ b/csdr/chain/__init__.py
@@ -49,19 +49,31 @@ class Chain:
         self.workers[index].stop()
         self.workers[index] = newWorker
 
+        error = None
+
         if index == 0:
             if self.reader is not None:
                 newWorker.setReader(self.reader)
         else:
-            previousWorker = self.workers[index - 1]
-            self._connect(previousWorker, newWorker)
+            try:
+                previousWorker = self.workers[index - 1]
+                self._connect(previousWorker, newWorker)
+            except ValueError as e:
+                # store error for later raising, but still attempt the second connection
+                error = e
 
         if index == len(self.workers) - 1:
             if self.writer is not None:
                 newWorker.setWriter(self.writer)
         else:
-            nextWorker = self.workers[index + 1]
-            self._connect(newWorker, nextWorker)
+            try:
+                nextWorker = self.workers[index + 1]
+                self._connect(newWorker, nextWorker)
+            except ValueError as e:
+                error = e
+
+        if error is not None:
+            raise e
 
     def append(self, newWorker):
         previousWorker = None
diff --git a/csdr/chain/clientaudio.py b/csdr/chain/clientaudio.py
index 39ae8d5..aab887a 100644
--- a/csdr/chain/clientaudio.py
+++ b/csdr/chain/clientaudio.py
@@ -3,11 +3,9 @@ from pycsdr.modules import AudioResampler, Convert, AdpcmEncoder, Limit
 from pycsdr.types import Format
 
 
-class ClientAudioChain(Chain):
-    def __init__(self, format: Format, inputRate: int, clientRate: int, compression: str):
+class Converter(Chain):
+    def __init__(self, format: Format, inputRate: int, clientRate: int):
         workers = []
-        self.inputRate = inputRate
-        self.clientRate = clientRate
         if inputRate != clientRate:
             # we only have an audio resampler for float ATM so if we need to resample, we need to convert
             if format != Format.FLOAT:
@@ -15,20 +13,39 @@ class ClientAudioChain(Chain):
             workers += [AudioResampler(inputRate, clientRate), Limit(), Convert(Format.FLOAT, Format.SHORT)]
         elif format != Format.SHORT:
             workers += [Convert(format, Format.SHORT)]
+        super().__init__(workers)
+
+
+class ClientAudioChain(Chain):
+    def __init__(self, format: Format, inputRate: int, clientRate: int, compression: str):
+        self.format = format
+        self.inputRate = inputRate
+        self.clientRate = clientRate
+        workers = [self._buildConverter()]
         if compression == "adpcm":
             workers += [AdpcmEncoder(sync=True)]
         super().__init__(workers)
 
+    def _buildConverter(self):
+        return Converter(self.format, self.inputRate, self.clientRate)
+
     def setFormat(self, format: Format) -> None:
-        pass
+        if format == self.format:
+            return
+        self.format = format
+        self.replace(0, self._buildConverter())
 
     def setInputRate(self, inputRate: int) -> None:
         if inputRate == self.inputRate:
             return
+        self.inputRate = inputRate
+        self.replace(0, self._buildConverter())
 
     def setClientRate(self, clientRate: int) -> None:
         if clientRate == self.clientRate:
             return
+        self.clientRate = clientRate
+        self.replace(0, self._buildConverter())
 
     def setAudioCompression(self, compression: str) -> None:
         index = self.indexOf(lambda x: isinstance(x, AdpcmEncoder))
diff --git a/owrx/dsp.py b/owrx/dsp.py
index df0253c..325eaaa 100644
--- a/owrx/dsp.py
+++ b/owrx/dsp.py
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ from csdr.chain.demodulator import BaseDemodulatorChain
 from csdr.chain.selector import Selector
 from csdr.chain.clientaudio import ClientAudioChain
 from csdr.chain.analog import NFm, WFm, Am, Ssb
-from csdr.chain.digiham import Dmr, Dstar, Nxdn, Ysf
+from csdr.chain.digiham import DigihamChain, Dmr, Dstar, Nxdn, Ysf
 from pycsdr.modules import Buffer, Writer
 from pycsdr.types import Format
 from typing import Union
@@ -34,9 +34,18 @@ class ClientDemodulatorChain(Chain):
         self.selector.setBandpass(-4000, 4000)
         self.demodulator = demod
         self.clientAudioChain = ClientAudioChain(Format.FLOAT, outputRate, outputRate, audioCompression)
+        self.metaWriter = None
+        self.squelchLevel = -150
         super().__init__([self.selector, self.demodulator, self.clientAudioChain])
 
     def setDemodulator(self, demodulator: BaseDemodulatorChain):
+        try:
+            self.clientAudioChain.setFormat(demodulator.getOutputFormat())
+        except ValueError:
+            # this will happen if the new format does not match the current demodulator.
+            # it's expected and should be mended when swapping out the demodulator in the next step
+            pass
+
         self.replace(1, demodulator)
 
         if self.demodulator is not None:
@@ -58,8 +67,11 @@ class ClientDemodulatorChain(Chain):
 
         if not demodulator.supportsSquelch():
             self.selector.setSquelchLevel(-150)
+        else:
+            self.selector.setSquelchLevel(self.squelchLevel)
 
-        self.clientAudioChain.setFormat(demodulator.getOutputFormat())
+        if self.metaWriter is not None and isinstance(demodulator, DigihamChain):
+            demodulator.setMetaWriter(self.metaWriter)
 
     def setLowCut(self, lowCut):
         self.selector.setLowCut(lowCut)
@@ -78,6 +90,9 @@ class ClientDemodulatorChain(Chain):
         self.clientAudioChain.setAudioCompression(compression)
 
     def setSquelchLevel(self, level: float) -> None:
+        if level == self.squelchLevel:
+            return
+        self.squelchLevel = level
         if not self.demodulator.supportsSquelch():
             return
         self.selector.setSquelchLevel(level)
@@ -95,6 +110,13 @@ class ClientDemodulatorChain(Chain):
     def setPowerWriter(self, writer: Writer) -> None:
         self.selector.setPowerWriter(writer)
 
+    def setMetaWriter(self, writer: Writer) -> None:
+        if writer is self.metaWriter:
+            return
+        self.metaWriter = writer
+        if isinstance(self.demodulator, DigihamChain):
+            self.demodulator.setMetaWriter(self.metaWriter)
+
     def setSampleRate(self, sampleRate: int) -> None:
         if sampleRate == self.sampleRate:
             return
@@ -182,6 +204,12 @@ class DspManager(Output, SdrSourceEventClient):
         reader = buffer.getReader()
         self.send_output("smeter", reader.read)
 
+        # wire meta output
+        buffer = Buffer(Format.CHAR)
+        self.chain.setMetaWriter(buffer)
+        reader = buffer.getReader()
+        self.send_output("meta", reader.read)
+
         def set_dial_freq(changes):
             if (
                 "center_freq" not in self.props
diff --git a/owrx/meta.py b/owrx/meta.py
index 9525673..63eb727 100644
--- a/owrx/meta.py
+++ b/owrx/meta.py
@@ -171,7 +171,9 @@ class MetaParser(Parser):
         }
         self.currentMetaData = None
 
-    def parse(self, raw: str):
+    def parse(self, raw: memoryview):
+        raw = raw.tobytes().decode("utf-8").rstrip("\n")
+
         for meta in raw.split("\n"):
             fields = meta.split(";")
             meta = {v[0]: ":".join(v[1:]) for v in map(lambda x: x.split(":"), fields) if v[0] != ""}