diff --git a/include/villas/sample.h b/include/villas/sample.h
index 8ce3a996a..b6684bdbc 100644
--- a/include/villas/sample.h
+++ b/include/villas/sample.h
@@ -47,22 +47,15 @@ struct pool;
 /** The offset to the beginning of the data section. */
 #define SAMPLE_DATA_OFFSET(smp)	((char *) (smp) + offsetof(struct sample, data))
 
-enum sample_data_format {
-	SAMPLE_DATA_FORMAT_FLOAT = 0,
-	SAMPLE_DATA_FORMAT_INT   = 1
-};
-
 /** Parts of a sample that can be serialized / de-serialized by the IO formats */
 enum sample_flags {
 	SAMPLE_HAS_ORIGIN	= (1 << 0), /**< Include origin timestamp in output. */
 	SAMPLE_HAS_RECEIVED	= (1 << 1), /**< Include receive timestamp in output. */
 	SAMPLE_HAS_OFFSET	= (1 << 2), /**< Include offset (received - origin timestamp) in output. */
-	SAMPLE_HAS_SOURCE	= (1 << 3), /**< This sample has a valid sample::source field. */
-	SAMPLE_HAS_ID		= (1 << 4), /**< This sample has a valid sample::id field. */
-	SAMPLE_HAS_SEQUENCE	= (1 << 5), /**< Include sequence number in output. */
-	SAMPLE_HAS_VALUES	= (1 << 6), /**< Include values in output. */
-	SAMPLE_HAS_FORMAT	= (1 << 7), /**< This sample has a valid sample::format field. */
-	SAMPLE_HAS_ALL		= (1 << 7) - 1, /**< Enable all output options. */
+	SAMPLE_HAS_ID		= (1 << 3), /**< This sample has a valid sample::id field. */
+	SAMPLE_HAS_SEQUENCE	= (1 << 4), /**< Include sequence number in output. */
+	SAMPLE_HAS_VALUES	= (1 << 5), /**< Include values in output. */
+	SAMPLE_HAS_ALL		= (1 << 5) - 1, /**< Enable all output options. */
 
 	SAMPLE_IS_FIRST		= (1 << 16), /**< This sample is the first of a new simulation case */
 	SAMPLE_IS_LAST		= (1 << 17), /**< This sample is the last of a running simulation case */
@@ -84,12 +77,6 @@ struct sample {
 	atomic_int refcnt;	/**< Reference counter. */
 	ptrdiff_t pool_off;	/**< This sample belongs to this memory pool (relative pointer). See sample_pool(). */
 
-	/** A long bitfield indicating the number representation of the first 64 values in sample::data[].
-	 *
-	 * @see sample_data_format
-	 */
-	uint64_t format;
-
 	/** All timestamps are seconds / nano seconds after 1.1.1970 UTC */
 	struct {
 		struct timespec origin;		/**< The point in time when this data was sampled. */
@@ -141,12 +128,6 @@ int sample_copy_many(struct sample *dsts[], struct sample *srcs[], int cnt);
 int sample_get_many(struct sample *smps[], int cnt);
 int sample_put_many(struct sample *smps[], int cnt);
 
-/** Get number representation for a single value of a sample. */
-int sample_get_data_format(struct sample *s, int idx);
-
-/** Set number representation for a single value of a sample. */
-int sample_set_data_format(struct sample *s, int idx, enum sample_data_format fmt);
-
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
 #endif
diff --git a/lib/sample.c b/lib/sample.c
index 5e14870bf..d06e91eeb 100644
--- a/lib/sample.c
+++ b/lib/sample.c
@@ -34,7 +34,6 @@ int sample_init(struct sample *s)
 	struct pool *p = sample_pool(s);
 
 	s->length = 0;
-	s->format = 0; /* all sample values are float by default */
 	s->capacity = (p->blocksz - sizeof(struct sample)) / sizeof(s->data[0]);
 	s->refcnt = ATOMIC_VAR_INIT(1);
 
@@ -69,7 +68,6 @@ struct sample * sample_alloc_mem(int capacity)
 	s->pool_off = SAMPLE_NON_POOL;
 
 	s->length = 0;
-	s->format = 0; /* all sample values are float by default */
 	s->capacity = capacity;
 	s->refcnt = ATOMIC_VAR_INIT(1);
 
@@ -150,7 +148,6 @@ int sample_copy(struct sample *dst, struct sample *src)
 	dst->length = MIN(src->length, dst->capacity);
 
 	dst->sequence = src->sequence;
-	dst->format = src->format;
 	dst->source = src->source;
 	dst->flags = src->flags;
 	dst->ts = src->ts;
@@ -235,11 +232,6 @@ int sample_cmp(struct sample *a, struct sample *b, double epsilon, int flags)
 			return 4;
 		}
 
-		if (a->format != b->format) {
-			printf("format: %#" PRIx64 " != %#" PRIx64 "\n", a->format, b->format);
-			return 6;
-		}
-
 		for (int i = 0; i < a->length; i++) {
 			switch (sample_get_data_format(a, i)) {
 				case SAMPLE_DATA_FORMAT_FLOAT:
@@ -261,24 +253,3 @@ int sample_cmp(struct sample *a, struct sample *b, double epsilon, int flags)
 
 	return 0;
 }
-
-int sample_set_data_format(struct sample *s, int idx, enum sample_data_format fmt)
-{
-	if (idx >= sizeof(s->format) * 8)
-		return 0; /* we currently can only control the format of the first 64 values. */
-
-	switch (fmt) {
-		case SAMPLE_DATA_FORMAT_FLOAT: s->format &= ~(1   << idx); break;
-		case SAMPLE_DATA_FORMAT_INT:   s->format |=  (fmt << idx); break;
-	}
-
-	return 0;
-}
-
-int sample_get_data_format(struct sample *s, int idx)
-{
-	if (idx >= sizeof(s->format) * 8)
-		return -1; /* we currently can only control the format of the first 64 values. */
-
-	return (s->format >> idx) & 0x1;
-}