diff --git a/synapse/cli/streaming.py b/synapse/cli/streaming.py
index fb213d7..69291bb 100644
--- a/synapse/cli/streaming.py
+++ b/synapse/cli/streaming.py
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
-import dataclasses
 import json
 import queue
 import threading
 import time
 import traceback
 from typing import Optional
+from operator import itemgetter
 
 from google.protobuf.json_format import Parse
 
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@
 from synapse.api.status_pb2 import DeviceState
 from synapse.api.synapse_pb2 import DeviceConfiguration
 import synapse as syn
+import synapse.client.channel as channel
+import synapse.utils.ndtp_types as ndtp_types
 
 
 def add_commands(subparsers):
@@ -22,6 +24,8 @@ def add_commands(subparsers):
         type=str,
         help="Configuration file",
     )
+    a.add_argument("--num_ch", type=int, help="Number of channels to read from, overrides config")
+    a.add_argument("--bin", type=bool, help="Output binary format instead of JSON")
     a.add_argument("--duration", type=int, help="Duration to read for in seconds")
     a.add_argument("--node_id", type=int, help="ID of the StreamOut node to read from")
     a.set_defaults(func=read)
@@ -56,6 +60,18 @@ def read(args):
         )
         assert stream_out is not None, "No StreamOut node found in config"
 
+        if args.num_ch:
+            ephys = next(
+                (n for n in config.nodes if n.type == NodeType.kElectricalBroadband), None
+            )
+            num_ch = args.num_ch
+            offset = 0
+            channels = []
+            for ch in range(offset, offset + num_ch):
+                channels.append(channel.Channel(ch, 2*ch, 2*ch + 1))
+        
+            ephys.channels = channels
+
         if not device.configure(config):
             raise ValueError("Failed to configure device")
 
@@ -86,7 +102,10 @@ def read(args):
     print(f"Streaming data... Ctrl+C to stop")
     q = queue.Queue()
     stop = threading.Event()
-    thread = threading.Thread(target=_data_writer, args=(stop, q))
+    if args.bin:
+        thread = threading.Thread(target=_binary_writer, args=(stop, q, num_ch))
+    else:
+        thread = threading.Thread(target=_data_writer, args=(stop, q))
     thread.start()
 
     try:
@@ -109,6 +128,7 @@ def read(args):
 def read_packets(node: syn.StreamOut, q: queue.Queue, duration: Optional[int] = None):
     packet_count = 0
     seq_number = None
+    dropped_packets = 0
     start = time.time()
 
     print(f"Reading packets for duration {duration} seconds" if duration else "Reading packets...")
@@ -120,16 +140,48 @@ def read_packets(node: syn.StreamOut, q: queue.Queue, duration: Optional[int] =
         packet_count += 1
         if seq_number is not None and header.seq_number != seq_number + 1:
             print(f"Seq number out of order: {header.seq_number} != {seq_number + 1}")
+            dropped_packets += header.seq_number - (seq_number + 1)
         seq_number = header.seq_number
 
         q.put(data)
 
-        if duration and time.time() - start > duration:
+        if duration and (time.time() - start) > duration:
             break
 
-    print(f"Recieved {packet_count} packets in {time.time() - start} seconds")
+    print(f"Recieved {packet_count} packets in {time.time() - start} seconds. Dropped {dropped_packets} packets ({(dropped_packets / packet_count) * 100}%)")
 
 
+def _binary_writer(stop, q, num_ch):
+    filename = f"synapse_data_{time.strftime('%Y%m%d-%H%M%S')}.dat"
+    if filename:
+        fd = open(filename, "wb")
+    
+    channel_data = []
+    while not stop.is_set() or not q.empty():
+        try:
+            data: ndtp_types.ElectricalBroadbandData = q.get(True, 1)
+        except queue.Empty:
+            continue
+
+        try:
+            for ch_id, samples in data.samples:
+                channel_data.append([ch_id, samples])
+                if len(channel_data) == num_ch:
+                    channel_data.sort(key=itemgetter(0))
+                    channel_samples = [ch_data[1] for ch_data in channel_data]
+                    frames = list(zip(*channel_samples))
+                    channel_data = []
+
+                    for frame in frames:
+                        for sample in frame:
+                            fd.write(int(sample).to_bytes(2, byteorder="little", signed=False))
+
+        except Exception as e:
+            print(f"Error processing data: {e}")
+            traceback.print_exc()
+            continue
+                
+
 def _data_writer(stop, q):
     filename = f"synapse_data_{time.strftime('%Y%m%d-%H%M%S')}.jsonl"
     if filename: