The SN75179BPS can support data rates up to 100 Mbps.
Yes, the SN75179BPS is compatible with other RS-485 transceivers that comply with the EIA/TIA-485 standard.
To ensure proper termination, a 120-ohm termination resistor should be connected between the differential outputs (Y and Z) and a common-mode termination voltage (VCC or GND) at the receiving end of the bus.
The maximum cable length depends on the data rate and cable characteristics, but a general guideline is to limit the cable length to 4000 feet (1219 meters) at 100 kbps and 1000 feet (305 meters) at 1 Mbps.
To handle bus contention and collisions, a non-return-to-zero (NRZ) encoding scheme can be used, and a collision detection mechanism can be implemented using a separate collision detection pin or by monitoring the bus for errors.