Q36As there are two standards, it is difficult to know which to buy. When there were two types of video-tape recorders, VHS and Betamax, VHS won out. Which of the two second-generation DVD standards will survive?

A36 The makers of both types of second-generation DVDs held negotiations to unify standards, but could not reach agreement. The VHS videotape recorder won out because more rental movies were available in this format at video rental stores. So it could be said that consumers made their choice not on the basis of which format was superior in terms of recording, but on the availability of content. Based on this experience, the fate of second-generation DVDs may be determined by the amount of sofrware or content available. With this in mind, each camp is working hard to persuade Hollywood to cooperate by selling HD-format movies using its standards.