How many devices can a single IEEE 1394 bus support?

A single IEEE 1394 bus can support up to 63 devices. This standard, commonly known as FireWire, is designed for high-speed data transfer and allows for the connection of multiple devices in a daisy-chain configuration. The limitation of 63 devices is due to the addressing scheme used in the architecture, where each device is assigned a unique address on the bus. The combination of allowing for both the host controller and external devices lends itself to this total.

Understanding this capacity is crucial for those working with FireWire devices, especially in applications requiring high bandwidth, such as video transfer, where the number of connections needs to be managed effectively.