> do you think that was the best choice to make? Were there
> no other PPC processors available?

I'm not Trevor, but this is my stance on A-Eon's decision for the PA6T over other CPUs back then, which according to Trevor was arrived at before Apple purchased P.A. Semi:

https://morph.zone/modules/newbb_plus/viewtopic.php?forum=3&topic_id=7183&start=136
https://morph.zone/modules/newbb_plus/viewtopic.php?forum=3&topic_id=7348&start=50

Bottom line: Between the three viable options there were at that time (PA6T, PPC970MP+CPC945, MPC8641D), the PA6T was certainly the most sensible choice. That's what I would have opted for as well.

@Pampers

What Andreas_Wolf said.

If were starting now, there would of course be more CPU options.

TrevorD

Update:

>> Why don't we make our own PowerPC CPU? [...] Really, could
>> it be possible [...]?

> Last time I looked you had to acquire an architectural license
> from IBM to do that in a legal way.

Or maybe that isn't needed anymore?

https://morph.zone/modules/newbb_plus/viewtopic.php?topic_id=6775&forum=11&start=105

Seriously, a GPL'd Power Architecture implementation sounds nice. Is it legal? I don't know.

PPC is 20 years old now so the early patents will be expiring.

Anything newer and you can expect IBM to send in a small army of lawyers.

> PPC is 20 years old now so the early patents will be expiring.
> Anything newer and you can expect IBM to send in a small army of lawyers.

IBM's Army of Lawyers against China's PLA. Interesting thought ;-) Seriously, you may be right that the expiration of IBM's related early patents is the reason that PWRSemi is only starting this endeavour now. But I'm not quite convinced that it isn't just due to them being located in China and thus out of reach of western jurisdiction ;-)

>> Remarkably, in the coming Amiga Future issue #89 Trevor Dickinson dares to write:
>>
>> "The PA6T-1682M is a [...] low cost [...] Power Architecture CPU"
>> http://www.amigafuture.de/album_pic.php?pic_id=16353

> Oopps sorry. That is a major typo. The PA Semi CPU is low power consumption
> but certainly not low cost. "lost in translation" or proof reading error?

I just now noticed that this obscure wording is also in the A-Eon press release titled "AmigaOne X1000 CPU revealed" from 21st December 2010. So to me it seems that this is where this "typo" (as you call it) occured first.

Update:

> "the PA Semi CPU [...] alone costs $500"
> http://amigatronics.wordpress.com/2011/04/08/exclusive-to-amigatronics-28-questions-and-28-answers-with-trevor-dickinson-a-eon/

"There were some minor logistical delays from Varisys set against the backdrop of rising PA-SEMI CPU (~100%) prices and other components. We decided to absorb the hardware price rises and not pass them on to consumers."
http://amigaworld.net/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=34437&forum=2&start=180#676781

I guess this should mean that the PA6T-1682M chip alone costs about 1000 USD (about 815 EUR currently) now.

Edit: It's 975 USD (750 EUR) according to this:
http://amigaworld.net/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=36670&forum=16&start=80#685248

Confirmed in Trevor's AmiWest 2012 presentation (direct link):

"I can purchase more PA6T CPUs. No problem. I can get as many as we want at 975 USD each. [...] On this last batch [...], I'm actually subsidizing. I'm eating 475 USD a machine."

[ Edited by Andreas_Wolf 03.11.2012 - 02:51 ]