1. A method for processing bit symbols generated by a data source, in particular a video, still image or audio source, comprising: constructing a plurality of bit-planes using the bit symbols generated by the data source, each bit-plane comprising a plurality of bit-plane symbols; scanning the bit-plane symbols of each bit-plane to generate a binary string of bit-plane symbols; encoding the binary string of the bit-plane symbols using a statistical model, wherein the statistical model is based on statistical properties of a Laplacian probability distribution function which characterizes the data source, wherein the Laplacian probability distribution function is defined by f ⁡ ( x ) = ⅇ -  x  ⁢ 2 σ 2 2 ⁢ σ 2 wherein σ is the standard deviation of the Laplacian probability distribution function.