diff --git a/app/src/actions/Settings.ts b/app/src/actions/Settings.ts
index 0202aff..f275297 100644
--- a/app/src/actions/Settings.ts
+++ b/app/src/actions/Settings.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import * as q from '../../../backend/src/Model'
-import { ActionTypes, SettingsStateModel, TopicOrder } from '../reducers/Settings'
+import { ActionTypes, SettingsStateModel, TopicOrder, ValueRendererDisplayMode } from '../reducers/Settings'
 import { AppState } from '../reducers'
 import { autoExpandLimitSet } from '../components/SettingsDrawer/Settings'
 import { Base64Message } from '../../../backend/src/Model/Base64Message'
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ export const selectTopicWithMouseOver = (doSelect: boolean) => (dispatch: Dispat
   dispatch(storeSettings())
 }
 
-export const setValueDisplayMode = (valueRendererDisplayMode: 'diff' | 'raw') => (dispatch: Dispatch<any>) => {
+export const setValueDisplayMode = (valueRendererDisplayMode: ValueRendererDisplayMode) => (dispatch: Dispatch<any>) => {
   dispatch({
     valueRendererDisplayMode,
     type: ActionTypes.SETTINGS_SET_VALUE_RENDERER_DISPLAY_MODE,
diff --git a/app/src/components/ChartPanel/TopicChart.tsx b/app/src/components/ChartPanel/TopicChart.tsx
index 3500860..33a943a 100644
--- a/app/src/components/ChartPanel/TopicChart.tsx
+++ b/app/src/components/ChartPanel/TopicChart.tsx
@@ -114,6 +114,7 @@ function TopicChart(props: Props) {
         </div>
       </div>
       <TopicPlot
+        node={props.treeNode ? props.treeNode : undefined}
         color={props.parameters.color}
         interpolation={props.parameters.interpolation}
         timeInterval={props.parameters.timeRange ? props.parameters.timeRange.until : undefined}
diff --git a/app/src/components/Sidebar/CodeDiff/ChartPreview.tsx b/app/src/components/Sidebar/CodeDiff/ChartPreview.tsx
index 4d430c4..e41cf28 100644
--- a/app/src/components/Sidebar/CodeDiff/ChartPreview.tsx
+++ b/app/src/components/Sidebar/CodeDiff/ChartPreview.tsx
@@ -52,16 +52,16 @@ function ChartPreview(props: Props) {
       />
     </Tooltip>
   ) : (
-    <Tooltip title="Add to chart panel, not enough data for preview">
-      <ShowChart
-        onClick={onClick}
-        className={props.classes.icon}
-        style={{ color: '#aaa' }}
-        data-test-type="ShowChart"
-        data-test={props.literal.path}
-      />
-    </Tooltip>
-  )
+      <Tooltip title="Add to chart panel, not enough data for preview">
+        <ShowChart
+          onClick={onClick}
+          className={props.classes.icon}
+          style={{ color: '#aaa' }}
+          data-test-type="ShowChart"
+          data-test={props.literal.path}
+        />
+      </Tooltip>
+    )
 
   return (
     <span>
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ function ChartPreview(props: Props) {
       <Popper open={open} anchorEl={chartIconRef.current} placement="left-end">
         <Fade in={open} timeout={300}>
           <Paper style={{ width: '300px' }}>
-            {open ? <TopicPlot history={props.treeNode.messageHistory} dotPath={props.literal.path} /> : <span />}
+            {open ? <TopicPlot node={props.treeNode} history={props.treeNode.messageHistory} dotPath={props.literal.path} /> : <span />}
           </Paper>
         </Fade>
       </Popper>
diff --git a/app/src/components/Sidebar/TopicPanel/TopicPanel.tsx b/app/src/components/Sidebar/TopicPanel/TopicPanel.tsx
index 24ad257..129b24e 100644
--- a/app/src/components/Sidebar/TopicPanel/TopicPanel.tsx
+++ b/app/src/components/Sidebar/TopicPanel/TopicPanel.tsx
@@ -6,22 +6,30 @@ import Topic from './Topic'
 import { bindActionCreators } from 'redux'
 import { connect } from 'react-redux'
 import { RecursiveTopicDeleteButton } from './RecursiveTopicDeleteButton'
-import { sidebarActions } from '../../../actions'
 import { TopicDeleteButton } from './TopicDeleteButton'
+import { TopicTypeButton } from './TopicTypeButton'
+import { sidebarActions } from '../../../actions'
 
 const TopicPanel = (props: { node?: q.TreeNode<any>; actions: typeof sidebarActions }) => {
   const { node } = props
   console.log(node && node.path())
+
   const copyTopic = node ? <Copy value={node.path()} /> : null
 
   const deleteTopic = useCallback((topic?: q.TreeNode<any>, recursive: boolean = false) => {
     if (!topic) {
       return
     }
-
     props.actions.clearTopic(topic, recursive)
   }, [])
 
+  const setTopicType = useCallback((node?: q.TreeNode<any>, type: q.TopicDataType = 'string') => {
+    if (!node) {
+      return
+    }
+    node.type = type
+  }, [])
+
   return useMemo(
     () => (
       <Panel disabled={!Boolean(node)}>
@@ -29,6 +37,7 @@ const TopicPanel = (props: { node?: q.TreeNode<any>; actions: typeof sidebarActi
           Topic {copyTopic}
           <TopicDeleteButton node={node} deleteTopicAction={deleteTopic} />
           <RecursiveTopicDeleteButton node={node} deleteTopicAction={deleteTopic} />
+          <TopicTypeButton node={node} setTopicType={setTopicType} />
         </span>
         <Topic node={node} />
       </Panel>
diff --git a/app/src/components/Sidebar/TopicPanel/TopicTypeButton.tsx b/app/src/components/Sidebar/TopicPanel/TopicTypeButton.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d5e8095
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/src/components/Sidebar/TopicPanel/TopicTypeButton.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,83 @@
+import React, { useCallback } from 'react'
+import * as q from '../../../../../backend/src/Model'
+import CustomIconButton from '../../helper/CustomIconButton'
+import Code from '@material-ui/icons/Code'
+import ClickAwayListener from '@material-ui/core/ClickAwayListener'
+import Grow from '@material-ui/core/Grow'
+import Paper from '@material-ui/core/Paper'
+import Popper from '@material-ui/core/Popper'
+import MenuItem from '@material-ui/core/MenuItem'
+import MenuList from '@material-ui/core/MenuList'
+
+const options: q.TopicDataType[] = ['string', 'json', 'hex', 'integer', 'unsigned int', 'floating point'];
+
+export const TopicTypeButton = (props: {
+  node?: q.TreeNode<any>
+  setTopicType: (node: q.TreeNode<any>, type: q.TopicDataType) => void
+}) => {
+  const { node } = props
+  if (!node || !node.message || !node.message.payload) {
+    return null
+  }
+
+  const [anchorEl, setAnchorEl] = React.useState<null | HTMLElement>(null);
+  const [open, setOpen] = React.useState(false)
+
+  const handleMenuItemClick = useCallback(
+    (mouseEvent: React.MouseEvent, element: q.TreeNode<any>, type: q.TopicDataType) => {
+      if (!element || !type) {
+        return
+      }
+      props.setTopicType(element, type as q.TopicDataType)
+      setOpen(false)
+    },
+    [props.setTopicType]
+  )
+
+  const handleToggle = (event: React.MouseEvent<HTMLElement>) => {
+    if (open === true) {
+      return
+    }
+    setAnchorEl(event.currentTarget)
+    setOpen((prevOpen) => !prevOpen)
+  }
+
+  const handleClose = (event: React.MouseEvent<Document, MouseEvent>) => {
+    if (anchorEl && anchorEl.contains(event.target as HTMLElement)) {
+      return
+    }
+    setOpen(false)
+  }
+
+  return (
+    <CustomIconButton tooltip="" onClick={handleToggle}>
+      <Code />
+      <Popper open={open} anchorEl={anchorEl} role={undefined} transition>
+        {({ TransitionProps, placement }) => (
+          <Grow
+            {...TransitionProps}
+            style={{
+              transformOrigin: placement === 'bottom' ? 'center top' : 'center bottom',
+            }}
+          >
+            <Paper>
+              <ClickAwayListener onClickAway={handleClose}>
+                <MenuList id="topicTypeMode">
+                  {options.map((option, index) => (
+                    <MenuItem
+                      key={option}
+                      selected={node && option === node.type}
+                      onClick={(event) => handleMenuItemClick(event, node, option)}
+                    >
+                      {option}
+                    </MenuItem>
+                  ))}
+                </MenuList>
+              </ClickAwayListener>
+            </Paper>
+          </Grow>
+        )}
+      </Popper>
+    </CustomIconButton>
+  )
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/app/src/components/Sidebar/ValueRenderer/MessageHistory.tsx b/app/src/components/Sidebar/ValueRenderer/MessageHistory.tsx
index e3d9dbe..c9590e4 100644
--- a/app/src/components/Sidebar/ValueRenderer/MessageHistory.tsx
+++ b/app/src/components/Sidebar/ValueRenderer/MessageHistory.tsx
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ class MessageHistory extends React.PureComponent<Props, State> {
     const history = node.messageHistory.toArray()
     let previousMessage: q.Message | undefined = node.message
     const historyElements = [...history].reverse().map((message, idx) => {
-      const value = message.payload ? Base64Message.toUnicodeString(message.payload) : ''
+      const [value, ignore] = Base64Message.format(message.payload, node.type)
       const element = {
         value,
         key: `${message.messageNumber}-${message.received}`,
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ class MessageHistory extends React.PureComponent<Props, State> {
               <MessageId message={message} />
             </span>
             <div style={{ float: 'right' }}>
-              <Copy value={value} />
+              <Copy value={value ? value : ''} />
             </div>
           </span>
         ),
@@ -112,8 +112,8 @@ class MessageHistory extends React.PureComponent<Props, State> {
       return element
     })
 
-    const isMessagePlottable =
-      node.message && node.message.payload && isPlottable(Base64Message.toUnicodeString(node.message.payload))
+    const [value, ignore] = node.message && node.message.payload ? Base64Message.format(node.message.payload, node.type) : [null, undefined]
+    const isMessagePlottable = isPlottable(value)
     return (
       <div>
         <History
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ class MessageHistory extends React.PureComponent<Props, State> {
           }
           onClick={this.displayMessage}
         >
-          {isMessagePlottable ? <TopicPlot history={node.messageHistory} /> : null}
+          {isMessagePlottable ? <TopicPlot node={node} history={node.messageHistory} /> : null}
         </History>
       </div>
     )
diff --git a/app/src/components/Sidebar/ValueRenderer/ValuePanel.tsx b/app/src/components/Sidebar/ValueRenderer/ValuePanel.tsx
index 459f351..8642a4b 100644
--- a/app/src/components/Sidebar/ValueRenderer/ValuePanel.tsx
+++ b/app/src/components/Sidebar/ValueRenderer/ValuePanel.tsx
@@ -85,10 +85,10 @@ function ValuePanel(props: Props) {
     [compareMessage]
   )
 
-  const copyValue =
-    node && node.message && node.message.payload ? (
-      <Copy value={Base64Message.toUnicodeString(node.message.payload)} />
-    ) : null
+  const [value, ignore] = node && node.message && node.message.payload ? Base64Message.format(node.message.payload, node.type) : [null, undefined]
+  const copyValue = value ? (
+    <Copy value={value} />
+  ) : null
 
   return (
     <Panel>
diff --git a/app/src/components/Sidebar/ValueRenderer/ValueRenderer.tsx b/app/src/components/Sidebar/ValueRenderer/ValueRenderer.tsx
index 3a4f9ff..9d561c3 100644
--- a/app/src/components/Sidebar/ValueRenderer/ValueRenderer.tsx
+++ b/app/src/components/Sidebar/ValueRenderer/ValueRenderer.tsx
@@ -4,9 +4,8 @@ import CodeDiff from '../CodeDiff'
 import { AppState } from '../../../reducers'
 import { Base64Message } from '../../../../../backend/src/Model/Base64Message'
 import { connect } from 'react-redux'
-import { default as ReactResizeDetector } from 'react-resize-detector'
 import { ValueRendererDisplayMode } from '../../../reducers/Settings'
-import { Typography, Fade, Grow } from '@material-ui/core'
+import { Fade } from '@material-ui/core'
 
 interface Props {
   message: q.Message
@@ -38,44 +37,42 @@ class ValueRenderer extends React.Component<Props, State> {
     )
   }
 
-  private convertMessage(msg?: Base64Message): [string | undefined, 'json' | undefined] {
-    if (!msg) {
-      return [undefined, undefined]
-    }
-
-    const str = Base64Message.toUnicodeString(msg)
-    try {
-      JSON.parse(str)
-    } catch (error) {
-      return [str, undefined]
-    }
-
-    return [this.messageToPrettyJson(str), 'json']
-  }
-
-  private messageToPrettyJson(str: string): string | undefined {
-    try {
-      const json = JSON.parse(str)
-      return JSON.stringify(json, undefined, '  ')
-    } catch {
-      return undefined
-    }
-  }
-
-  private renderRawMode(message: q.Message, compare?: q.Message) {
+  private renderDiffMode(message: q.Message, treeNode: q.TreeNode<any>, compare?: q.Message) {
     if (!message.payload) {
       return
     }
-    const [value, valueLanguage] = this.convertMessage(message.payload)
-    const [compareStr, compareStrLanguage] =
-      compare && compare.payload ? this.convertMessage(compare.payload) : [undefined, undefined]
+
+    const previousMessages = treeNode.messageHistory.toArray()
+    const previousMessage = previousMessages[previousMessages.length - 2]
+    const compareMessage = compare || previousMessage || message
+
+    const compareValue = compareMessage.payload || message.payload
+    const [currentStr, currentType] = Base64Message.format(message.payload, treeNode.type)
+    const [compareStr, compareType] = Base64Message.format(compareValue, treeNode.type)
+
+    const language = currentType === compareType && compareType === 'json' ? 'json' : undefined
 
     return (
       <div>
-        {this.renderDiff(value, value, undefined, valueLanguage)}
+        {this.renderDiff(currentStr, compareStr, undefined, language)}
+      </div>
+    )
+  }
+
+  private renderRawMode(message: q.Message, treeNode: q.TreeNode<any>, compare?: q.Message) {
+    if (!message.payload) {
+      return
+    }
+
+    const [currentStr, currentType] = Base64Message.format(message.payload, treeNode.type)
+    const [compareStr, compareType] = compare && compare.payload ? Base64Message.format(compare.payload, treeNode.type) : [undefined, undefined]
+
+    return (
+      <div>
+        {this.renderDiff(currentStr, currentStr, undefined, currentType)}
         <Fade in={Boolean(compareStr)} timeout={400}>
           <div>
-            {Boolean(compareStr) ? this.renderDiff(compareStr, compareStr, 'selected', compareStrLanguage) : null}
+            {Boolean(compareStr) ? this.renderDiff(compareStr, compareStr, 'selected', compareType) : null}
           </div>
         </Fade>
       </div>
@@ -88,24 +85,16 @@ class ValueRenderer extends React.Component<Props, State> {
 
   public renderValue() {
     const { message, treeNode, compareWith, renderMode } = this.props
-    const previousMessages = treeNode.messageHistory.toArray()
-    const previousMessage = previousMessages[previousMessages.length - 2]
-    const compareMessage = compareWith || previousMessage || message
-
-    if (renderMode === 'raw') {
-      return this.renderRawMode(message, compareWith)
-    }
     if (!message.payload) {
       return null
     }
 
-    const compareValue = compareMessage.payload || message.payload
-    const [current, currentLanguage] = this.convertMessage(message.payload)
-    const [compare, compareLanguage] = this.convertMessage(compareValue)
-
-    const language = currentLanguage === compareLanguage && compareLanguage === 'json' ? 'json' : undefined
-
-    return this.renderDiff(current, compare, undefined, language)
+    switch (renderMode) {
+      case 'diff':
+        return this.renderDiffMode(message, treeNode, compareWith)
+      default:
+        return this.renderRawMode(message, treeNode, compareWith)
+    }
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/app/src/components/TopicPlot.tsx b/app/src/components/TopicPlot.tsx
index 56c69d1..81b64fe 100644
--- a/app/src/components/TopicPlot.tsx
+++ b/app/src/components/TopicPlot.tsx
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import { PlotCurveTypes } from '../reducers/Charts'
 const parseDuration = require('parse-duration')
 
 interface Props {
+  node?: q.TreeNode<any>
   history: q.MessageHistory
   dotPath?: string
   timeInterval?: string
@@ -25,22 +26,23 @@ function filterUsingTimeRange(startTime: number | undefined, data: Array<q.Messa
   return data
 }
 
-function nodeToHistory(startTime: number | undefined, history: q.MessageHistory) {
+function nodeToHistory(startTime: number | undefined, history: q.MessageHistory, type: q.TopicDataType) {
   return filterUsingTimeRange(startTime, history.toArray())
     .map((message: q.Message) => {
-      const value = message.payload ? toPlottableValue(Base64Message.toUnicodeString(message.payload)) : NaN
+      const [value, ignore] = message.payload ? Base64Message.format(message.payload, type) : [NaN, undefined]
+      // const value = message.payload ? toPlottableValue(Base64Message.toUnicodeString(message.payload)) : NaN
       return { x: message.received.getTime(), y: toPlottableValue(value) }
     })
     .filter(data => !isNaN(data.y as any)) as any
 }
 
-function nodeDotPathToHistory(startTime: number | undefined, history: q.MessageHistory, dotPath: string) {
+function nodeDotPathToHistory(startTime: number | undefined, history: q.MessageHistory, dotPath: string, type: q.TopicDataType) {
   return filterUsingTimeRange(startTime, history.toArray())
     .map((message: q.Message) => {
       let json = {}
       try {
         json = message.payload ? JSON.parse(Base64Message.toUnicodeString(message.payload)) : {}
-      } catch (ignore) {}
+      } catch (ignore) { }
 
       const value = dotProp.get(json, dotPath)
 
@@ -54,8 +56,8 @@ function TopicPlot(props: Props) {
   const data = React.useMemo(
     () =>
       props.dotPath
-        ? nodeDotPathToHistory(startOffset, props.history, props.dotPath)
-        : nodeToHistory(startOffset, props.history),
+        ? nodeDotPathToHistory(startOffset, props.history, props.dotPath, props.node ? props.node.type : 'string')
+        : nodeToHistory(startOffset, props.history, props.node ? props.node.type : 'string'),
     [props.history.last(), startOffset, props.dotPath]
   )
 
diff --git a/app/src/components/Tree/TreeNode/TreeNodeTitle.tsx b/app/src/components/Tree/TreeNode/TreeNodeTitle.tsx
index 07d60a5..0663f9d 100644
--- a/app/src/components/Tree/TreeNode/TreeNodeTitle.tsx
+++ b/app/src/components/Tree/TreeNode/TreeNodeTitle.tsx
@@ -31,19 +31,19 @@ class TreeNodeTitle extends React.PureComponent<TreeNodeProps, {}> {
       return ''
     }
 
-    const str = Base64Message.toUnicodeString(this.props.treeNode.message.payload)
-    return str.length > limit ? `${str.slice(0, limit)}…` : str
+    const [value, ignore] = Base64Message.format(this.props.treeNode.message.payload, this.props.treeNode.type)
+    return value.length > limit ? `${value.slice(0, limit)}…` : value
   }
 
   private renderValue() {
     return this.props.treeNode.message &&
       this.props.treeNode.message.payload &&
       this.props.treeNode.message.length > 0 ? (
-      <span key="value" className={this.props.classes.value}>
-        {' '}
+        <span key="value" className={this.props.classes.value}>
+          {' '}
         = {this.truncatedMessage()}
-      </span>
-    ) : null
+        </span>
+      ) : null
   }
 
   private renderExpander() {
@@ -66,9 +66,8 @@ class TreeNodeTitle extends React.PureComponent<TreeNodeProps, {}> {
     const messages = this.props.treeNode.leafMessageCount()
     const topicCount = this.props.treeNode.childTopicCount()
     return (
-      <span key="metadata" className={this.props.classes.collapsedSubnodes}>{` (${topicCount} ${
-        topicCount === 1 ? 'topic' : 'topics'
-      }, ${messages} ${messages === 1 ? 'message' : 'messages'})`}</span>
+      <span key="metadata" className={this.props.classes.collapsedSubnodes}>{` (${topicCount} ${topicCount === 1 ? 'topic' : 'topics'
+        }, ${messages} ${messages === 1 ? 'message' : 'messages'})`}</span>
     )
   }
 
diff --git a/app/src/components/helper/DateFormatter.tsx b/app/src/components/helper/DateFormatter.tsx
index 9741f5e..4e7fd6b 100644
--- a/app/src/components/helper/DateFormatter.tsx
+++ b/app/src/components/helper/DateFormatter.tsx
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ interface Props {
 }
 
 const unitMapping = {
+  ms: 'milliseconds',
   s: 'seconds',
   m: 'minutes',
   h: 'hours',
@@ -21,7 +22,7 @@ class DateFormatter extends React.PureComponent<Props, {}> {
   private intervalSince(intervalSince: Date) {
     const interval = intervalSince.getTime() - this.props.date.getTime()
     const unit = this.unitForInterval(interval)
-    return `${Math.round(moment.duration(interval).as(unit) * 100) / 100} ${unitMapping[unit]}`
+    return `${moment.duration(interval).as(unit).toFixed(3)} ${unitMapping[unit]}`
   }
 
   private legacyDate() {
@@ -31,10 +32,11 @@ class DateFormatter extends React.PureComponent<Props, {}> {
   private localizedDate(locale: string) {
     return moment(this.props.date)
       .locale(locale)
-      .format(this.props.timeFirst ? 'LTS L' : 'L LTS')
+      .format(this.props.timeFirst ? 'LTS.SSS L' : 'L LTS.SSS')
   }
 
   private unitForInterval(milliseconds: number) {
+    const oneSecond = 1000 * 1
     const oneMinute = 1000 * 60
     const oneHour = oneMinute * 60
 
@@ -46,7 +48,11 @@ class DateFormatter extends React.PureComponent<Props, {}> {
       return 'm'
     }
 
-    return 's'
+    if (milliseconds > oneSecond * 0.5) {
+      return 's'
+    }
+
+    return 'ms'
   }
 
   public render() {
diff --git a/backend/src/Model/Base64Message.ts b/backend/src/Model/Base64Message.ts
index b3763fe..82ae52c 100644
--- a/backend/src/Model/Base64Message.ts
+++ b/backend/src/Model/Base64Message.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+import { TopicDataType } from "./TreeNode"
+
 const { Base64 } = require('js-base64')
 
 export class Base64Message {
@@ -24,6 +26,124 @@ export class Base64Message {
     return new Base64Message(Base64.encode(str))
   }
 
+  /* Raw message conversions (hex, uint, int, float) */
+  public static format(message: Base64Message | null, type: TopicDataType = 'string'): [string, 'json' | undefined] {
+    if (!message) {
+      return ['', undefined]
+    }
+
+    try {
+      switch (type) {
+        case 'json':
+          {
+            const json = JSON.parse(Base64Message.toUnicodeString(message))
+            return [JSON.stringify(json, undefined, '  '), 'json']
+          }
+        case 'hex':
+          {
+            const hex = Base64Message.toHex(message)
+            return [hex, undefined]
+          }
+        case 'integer':
+          {
+            const int = Base64Message.toInt(message)
+            return [int ? int : '', undefined]
+          }
+        case 'unsigned int':
+          {
+            const uint = Base64Message.toUInt(message)
+            return [uint ? uint : '', undefined]
+          }
+        case 'floating point':
+          {
+            const float = Base64Message.toFloat(message)
+            return [float ? float : '', undefined]
+          }
+        default:
+          {
+            const str = Base64Message.toUnicodeString(message)
+            return [str, undefined]
+          }
+      }
+    } catch (error) {
+      const str = Base64Message.toUnicodeString(message)
+      return [str, undefined]
+    }
+  }
+
+  public static toHex(message: Base64Message) {
+    const buf = Buffer.from(message.base64Message, 'base64')
+
+    let str: string = '';
+    buf.forEach(element => {
+      str += `0x${element.toString(16)} `
+    })
+    return str.trimRight()
+  }
+
+  public static toUInt(message: Base64Message) {
+    const buf = Buffer.from(message.base64Message, 'base64')
+
+    let num: Number = 0;
+    switch (buf.length) {
+      case 1:
+        num = buf.readUInt8(0)
+        break
+      case 2:
+        num = buf.readUInt16LE(0)
+        break
+      case 4:
+        num = buf.readUInt32LE(0)
+        break
+      case 8:
+        num = Number(buf.readBigUInt64LE(0))
+        break
+      default:
+        return undefined
+    }
+    return num.toString()
+  }
+
+  public static toInt(message: Base64Message) {
+    const buf = Buffer.from(message.base64Message, 'base64')
+
+    let num: Number = 0;
+    switch (buf.length) {
+      case 1:
+        num = buf.readInt8(0)
+        break
+      case 2:
+        num = buf.readInt16LE(0)
+        break
+      case 4:
+        num = buf.readInt32LE(0)
+        break
+      case 8:
+        num = Number(buf.readBigInt64LE(0))
+        break
+      default:
+        return undefined
+    }
+    return num.toString()
+  }
+
+  public static toFloat(message: Base64Message) {
+    const buf = Buffer.from(message.base64Message, 'base64')
+
+    let num: Number = 0;
+    switch (buf.length) {
+      case 4:
+        num = buf.readFloatLE(0)
+        break
+      case 8:
+        num = buf.readDoubleLE(0)
+        break
+      default:
+        return undefined
+    }
+    return num.toString()
+  }
+
   public static toDataUri(message: Base64Message, mimeType: string) {
     return `data:${mimeType};base64,${message.base64Message}`
   }
diff --git a/backend/src/Model/TreeNode.ts b/backend/src/Model/TreeNode.ts
index 1576b92..d9ca465 100644
--- a/backend/src/Model/TreeNode.ts
+++ b/backend/src/Model/TreeNode.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@ import { Destroyable } from './Destroyable'
 import { Edge, Message, RingBuffer, MessageHistory } from './'
 import { EventDispatcher } from '../../../events'
 
+export type TopicDataType = 'string' | 'json' | 'hex' | 'integer' | 'unsigned int' | 'floating point'
+
 export class TreeNode<ViewModel extends Destroyable> {
   public sourceEdge?: Edge<ViewModel>
   public message?: Message
@@ -17,6 +19,7 @@ export class TreeNode<ViewModel extends Destroyable> {
   public onMessage = new EventDispatcher<Message>()
   public onDestroy = new EventDispatcher<TreeNode<ViewModel>>()
   public isTree = false
+  public type: TopicDataType = 'string'
 
   private cachedPath?: string
   private cachedChildTopics?: Array<TreeNode<ViewModel>>
diff --git a/backend/src/Model/index.ts b/backend/src/Model/index.ts
index 047e633..b0ac673 100644
--- a/backend/src/Model/index.ts
+++ b/backend/src/Model/index.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 export { Edge } from './Edge'
-export { TreeNode } from './TreeNode'
+export { TreeNode, TopicDataType } from './TreeNode'
 export { Message } from './Message'
 export { TreeNodeFactory } from './TreeNodeFactory'
 export { Tree } from './Tree'
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 7153f80..f6da39f 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "MQTT-Explorer",
-  "version": "0.4.0-beta1",
+  "version": "0.4.0-beta4",
   "description": "Explore your message queues",
   "main": "dist/src/electron.js",
   "scripts": {
@@ -119,4 +119,4 @@
     "yarn-run-all": "^3.1.1"
   },
   "optionalDependencies": {}
-}
+}
\ No newline at end of file