Therefore existing computer compression techniques are still run length encoding. Other forms of compression which are usable for graphics and sound, aesthetic data exist. These are lossy, that is some of the information is lost in the compression. The most well know are JPEG and MPEG that can produce high information compactness without loosing to much quality. It is possible to get well under one tenth of the size of the original with comparative quality.
Lower rates start occurring what is known as low signal to noise ratios.
The less information extractable from a piece of data the higher the noise ratio. For example television pictures are made out of a high quality black and white picture with colour smeared on top. Colour is less important for a clear picture than a detailed monochrome image. Telephone lines use information theory to fit voice information down the line. The information the ear is said to not need is thrown away to fit more music in a smaller place.