Hold+ changelog

Hold+ is the ultimate companion to the PSP's music player. It adds useful features and gives you TWICE the battery life when used properly.Changelog:This is a fix for people with broken Hold switches that keep randomly switching on and off while in Hold mode.Now when the Hold switch is enabled, the PSP remains in hold mode permanently until the switch is fully pushed to the power off position. This will prevent a malfunctioning Hold switch from randomly interfering.Removed Display Off mode (hold ANALOG UP while releasing Hold) since holding Select is sufficient for most users.

Hold+ is the ultimate companion to the PSP's music player. It adds useful features and gives you TWICE the battery life when used properly.Changelog:5th brightness level now works correctly on PSP-3000.

Hold+ is the ultimate companion to the PSP's music player. It adds useful features and gives you TWICE the battery life when used properly.It does the following when the Hold switch is enabled:* Switches off the LCD screen and backlight.* Underclocks the CPU to 60MHz* The original screen brightness and clock speed are restored when the Hold switch is released.* Prevents the PSP from going into suspend mode if you accidently push the power switch too far when turning off Hold mode.* Allows complete operation of the PSP controls with the display turned off.* Turns off LEDs in hold mode.* While in hold mode, allows the use of Left, Right, LTrigger, RTrigger, Volume and Start buttons, if you hold the Select button first. Useful to skip songs, pause etc.Additional Features:* Enables the 5th brightness level on PSP Slim.* Increases the vertical scrolling speed of Music player by around 50% (scroll 300 songs in 10 seconds).Usage:Turn on the Hold switch to automatically disable the display and underclock the CPU. Turn off the Hold switch to return the CPU to normal speed and enable the display.If you push the ANALOG UP button when turning on the Hold switch, it will only lock the keypad like normal hold mode. The display and CPU speed will not be changed, so that you can watch videos etc. with the keypad locked.If you push the ANALOG UP button when turning off the Hold switch, the display will remain switched off and the CPU will remain underclocked, but you can operate the PSP. To return to normal, push the power switch to the suspend position, or just press the Screen button.While the PSP is in hold mode, if you first hold down the Select button, you can use the following buttons: Left, Right, LTrigger, RTrigger, Vol+, Vol-, Start.Installation:You can install it in the seplugins folder, and make an entry in VSH.txt. Thus it will be active in the XMB. Its also possible to use it in games by adding it to GAME.txt, but some games may crash etc., if the CPU is underclocked to such a low value.Optionally, its also possible to install it in your PSP's flash0 so that it will work without a Memory Stick. For this you can use FreePlay's "NewBTCFNedit" and enable it for VSH mode in the all the PSPBT?NF.bin files. Add it before vshmain.prx.Advanced:If you want to change the clock speed to your own values, you can use a hex editor to change them. The offsets in the file for v3.7 are0x1234 - CPU0x1238 - Bus (Should be half the CPU speed or less)The values should be entered in hexadecimal. The default value for CPU is 3C (60 MHz in decimal) and the default value for Bus is 1E (30 MHz in decimal).Note that simply using any arbitrary value will not work. You will have to test and see which values for CPU and Bus speed work.Credits:Thanks to adrahil for helping with preventing the suspend mode.Thanks to Booster for the SysCon Hook sample, based on which Hold+ v3.0 was updated.

Changelog v3.42----------------------------------Fixed a bug in the faulty Hold switch detection method. It should now be very resistant to problems such as CPU remaining underclocked due to faulty Hold switch.It does the following when the Hold switch is enabled:* Switches off the LCD backlight.* Switches off the actual LCD screen.(This is important because the backlight and actual screen are two different things. You can have an image being displayed on the screen while the backlight is switched off, such that you can see the image if you use a flashlight. You can also have the screen switched off while the backlight still illuminates the powered off screen.)* Underclocks the CPU to 60MHz(Sony has changed the clock speed functions such that only certain combinations of speeds work correctly. Simply trying to underclock to arbitary values will result in the CPU simply running at the stock speed. I have verified that Hold+ successfully underclocks to 60MHz.)* The original screen brightness and clock speed are restored when the Hold switch is released.* Prevents the PSP from going into suspend mode if you accidently push the power switch too far when turning off Hold mode.* Allows complete operation of the PSP controls with the display turned off.* Turns off LEDs in hold mode. LEDs are flashed once in 30 seconds so that the PSP is not mistaken to be powered off.* While in hold mode, allows the use of Left, Right, LTrigger, RTrigger, Volume and Start buttons, if you hold the Select button first. Useful to skip songs, pause etc.

Changelog v3.41----------------------------------Improved faulty Hold switch protection, as there were still some chances of a faulty Hold switch causing problems.

from Torch:This is a simple plugin I made a long time ago for my personal use. I just found the source code while going through some old stuff on my computer, so I thought I'd clean up the code a bit and release the plugin.I realize that there are other plugins that feature similar functionality but I wrote my own because I wanted to be sure its coded optimally, as there are a few careless ways in which these functions can be improperly used (the point of this after all is to conserve battery life).It does the following when the Hold switch is enabled:* Switches off the LCD backlight.* Switches off the actual LCD screen.(This is important because the backlight and actual screen are two different things. You can have an image being displayed on the screen while the backlight is switched off, such that you can see the image if you use a flashlight. You can also have the screen switched off while the backlight still illuminates the powered off screen.)* Underclocks the CPU to 60MHz(Sony has changed the clock speed functions such that only certain combinations of speeds work correctly. Simply trying to underclock to arbitary values will result in the CPU simply running at the stock speed. I have verified that Hold+ successfully underclocks to 60MHz.)* The original screen brightness and clock speed are restored when the Hold switch is released.* Prevents the PSP from going into suspend mode if you accidently push the power switch too far when turning off Hold mode.* Allows complete operation of the PSP controls with the display turned off.* Turns off LEDs in hold mode. LEDs are flashed once in 30 seconds so that the PSP is not mistaken to be powered off.* While in hold mode, allows the use of Left, Right, LTrigger, RTrigger, Volume and Start buttons, if you hold the Select button first. Useful to skip songs, pause etc.Usage:Turn on the Hold switch to automatically disable the display and underclock the CPU. Turn off the Hold switch to return the CPU to normal speed and enable the display.If you push the ANALOG UP button when turning on the Hold switch, it will only lock the keypad like normal hold mode. The display and CPU speed will not be changed, so that you can watch videos etc. with the keypad locked.If you push the ANALOG UP button when turning off the Hold switch, the display will remain switched off and the CPU will remain underclocked, but you can operate the PSP. To return to normal, push the power switch to the suspend position, or just press the Screen button.While the PSP is in hold mode, if you first hold down the Select button, you can use the following buttons: Left, Right, LTrigger, RTrigger, Vol+, Vol-, Start.Installation:You can install it in the seplugins folder, and make an entry in VSH.txt. Thus it will be active in the XMB. Its also possible to use it in games by adding it to GAME.txt, but some games may crash etc., if the CPU is underclocked to such a low value.Optionally, its also possible to install it in your PSP's flash0 so that it will work without a Memory Stick. For this you can use FreePlay's "NewBTCFNedit" and enable it for VSH mode in the all the PSPBT?NF.bin files. Add it before vshmain.prx.Advanced:If you want to change the clock speed to your own values, you can use a hex editor to change them. The offsets in the file for v3.4 are0xD18 - CPU0xD1C - Bus (Should be half the CPU speed or less)The values should be entered in hexadecimal. The default value for CPU is 3C (60 MHz in decimal) and the default value for Bus is 1E (30 MHz in decimal).Note that simply using any arbitrary value will not work. You will have to test and see which values for CPU and Bus speed work.Credits:Thanks to adrahil for helping with preventing the suspend mode.Thanks to Booster for the SysCon Hook sample, based on which Hold+ v3.0 was updated.Thanks to Total_Noob; As his plugin MusicHold was not compatible with Hold+, with his permission I've implemented the same features in Hold+ v3.0 for people who wanted some buttons to be usable in hold mode.Changelog:Fixed a problem caused by a faulty Hold switch in some PSPs. This made the CPU remain underclocked even after turning off the Hold switch.The problem is the Hold switch doesn't consistently return a pressed state. It sometimes rapidly fluctuates between an Off and On signal. If this fluctuation occurs within one iteration of the main program loop, it causes problems. Its not humanly possible to toggle the Hold switch so fast, but a loose connection can :P

from Torch:This is a simple plugin I made a long time ago for my personal use. I just found the source code while going through some old stuff on my computer, so I thought I'd clean up the code a bit and release the plugin.I realize that there are other plugins that feature similar functionality but I wrote my own because I wanted to be sure its coded optimally, as there are a few careless ways in which these functions can be improperly used (the point of this after all is to conserve battery life).It does the following when the Hold switch is enabled:* Switches off the LCD backlight.* Switches off the actual LCD screen.(This is important because the backlight and actual screen are two different things. You can have an image being displayed on the screen while the backlight is switched off, such that you can see the image if you use a flashlight. You can also have the screen switched off while the backlight still illuminates the powered off screen.)* Underclocks the CPU to 60MHz(Sony has changed the clock speed functions such that only certain combinations of speeds work correctly. Simply trying to underclock to arbitary values will result in the CPU simply running at the stock speed. I have verified that Hold+ successfully underclocks to 60MHz.)* The original screen brightness and clock speed are restored when the Hold switch is released.* Prevents the PSP from going into suspend mode if you accidently push the power switch too far when turning off Hold mode.* Allows complete operation of the PSP controls with the display turned off.* Turns off LEDs in hold mode. LEDs are flashed once in 30 seconds so that the PSP is not mistaken to be powered off.* While in hold mode, allows the use of Left, Right, LTrigger, RTrigger, Volume and Start buttons, if you hold the Select button first. Useful to skip songs, pause etc.Usage:Turn on the Hold switch to automatically disable the display and underclock the CPU. Turn off the Hold switch to return the CPU to normal speed and enable the display.If you push the ANALOG UP button when turning on the Hold switch, it will only lock the keypad like normal hold mode. The display and CPU speed will not be changed, so that you can watch videos etc. with the keypad locked.If you push the ANALOG UP button when turning off the Hold switch, the display will remain switched off and the CPU will remain underclocked, but you can operate the PSP. To return to normal, push the power switch to the suspend position, or just press the Screen button.While the PSP is in hold mode, if you first hold down the Select button, you can use the following buttons: Left, Right, LTrigger, RTrigger, Vol+, Vol-, Start.Installation:You can install it in the seplugins folder, and make an entry in VSH.txt. Thus it will be active in the XMB. Its also possible to use it in games by adding it to GAME.txt, but some games may crash etc., if the CPU is underclocked to such a low value.Optionally, its also possible to install it in your PSP's flash0 so that it will work without a Memory Stick. For this you can use FreePlay's "NewBTCFNedit" and enable it for VSH mode in the all the PSPBT?NF.bin files. Add it before vshmain.prx.Advanced:If you want to change the clock speed to your own values, you can use a hex editor to change them. The offsets in the file for v3.3 are0xCF8 - CPU0xCFC - Bus (Should be half the CPU speed or less)The values should be entered in hexadecimal. The default value for CPU is 3C (60 MHz in decimal) and the default value for Bus is 1E (30 MHz in decimal).Note that simply using any arbitrary value will not work. You will have to test and see which values for CPU and Bus speed work.Credits:Thanks to adrahil for helping with preventing the suspend mode.Thanks to Booster for the SysCon Hook sample, based on which Hold+ v3.0 was updated.Thanks to Total_Noob; As his plugin MusicHold was not compatible with Hold+, with his permission I've implemented the same features in Hold+ v3.0 for people who wanted some buttons to be usable in hold mode.Changelog:Fixed a bug where if the battery was low, and the Power LED was blinking, and you turned off the Hold switch exactly at the moment before the Power LED blinked, the problem of the dissappearing battery icon would occur.The method of prevent accidental suspend has been changed back to adrahil's SysEvent method, instead of Booster's method which was used from v3.0, which was causing various problems as it worked by corrupting SysCon packets that contained the Power Switch On signal.

Changelog v3.2----------------------------------Fixed a bug where after you exit a Photo or the Browser, the battery icon would keep disappearing and reappearing.Fixed a bug where each time you exit a Photo or the Browser, the first time you turn on Hold after that it would only go to Normal Hold mode.

from Torch:This is a simple plugin I made a long time ago for my personal use. I just found the source code while going through some old stuff on my computer, so I thought I'd clean up the code a bit and release the plugin.I realize that there are other plugins that feature similar functionality but I wrote my own because I wanted to be sure its coded optimally, as there are a few careless ways in which these functions can be improperly used (the point of this after all is to conserve battery life).It does the following when the Hold switch is enabled:* Switches off the LCD backlight.* Switches off the actual LCD screen.(This is important because the backlight and actual screen are two different things. You can have an image being displayed on the screen while the backlight is switched off, such that you can see the image if you use a flashlight. You can also have the screen switched off while the backlight still illuminates the powered off screen.)* Underclocks the CPU to 60MHz(Sony has changed the clock speed functions such that only certain combinations of speeds work correctly. Simply trying to underclock to arbitary values will result in the CPU simply running at the stock speed. I have verified that Hold+ successfully underclocks to 60MHz.)* The original screen brightness and clock speed are restored when the Hold switch is released.* Prevents the PSP from going into suspend mode if you accidently push the power switch too far when turning off Hold mode.* Allows complete operation of the PSP controls with the display turned off.* Turns off LEDs in hold mode. LEDs are flashed once in 30 seconds so that the PSP is not mistaken to be powered off.* While in hold mode, allows the use of Left, Right, LTrigger, RTrigger, Volume and Start buttons, if you hold the Select button first. Useful to skip songs, pause etc.Usage:Turn on the Hold switch to automatically disable the display and underclock the CPU. Turn off the Hold switch to return the CPU to normal speed and enable the display.If you push the ANALOG UP button when turning on the Hold switch, it will only lock the keypad like normal hold mode. The display and CPU speed will not be changed, so that you can watch videos etc. with the keypad locked.If you push the ANALOG UP button when turning off the Hold switch, the display will remain switched off and the CPU will remain underclocked, but you can operate the PSP. To return to normal, push the power switch to the suspend position, or just press the Screen button.While the PSP is in hold mode, if you first hold down the Select button, you can use the following buttons: Left, Right, LTrigger, RTrigger, Vol+, Vol-, Start.Installation:You can install it in the seplugins folder, and make an entry in VSH.txt. Thus it will be active in the XMB. Its also possible to use it in games by adding it to GAME.txt, but some games may crash etc., if the CPU is underclocked to such a low value.Optionally, its also possible to install it in your PSP's flash0 so that it will work without a Memory Stick. For this you can use FreePlay's "NewBTCFNedit" and enable it for VSH mode in the all the PSPBT?NF.bin files. Add it before vshmain.prx.Advanced:If you want to change the clock speed to your own values, you can use a hex editor to change them. The offsets in the file for v3.0 are0xD38 - CPU0xD3C - Bus (Should be half the CPU speed or less)The values should be entered in hexadecimal. The default value for CPU is 3C (60 MHz in decimal) and the default value for Bus is 1E (30 MHz in decimal).Note that simply using any arbitrary value will not work. You will have to test and see which values for CPU and Bus speed work.Credits:Thanks to adrahil for helping with preventing the suspend mode.Thanks to Booster for the SysCon Hook sample, based on which Hold+ v3.0 was updated.Thanks to Total_Noob; As his plugin MusicHold was not compatible with Hold+, with his permission I've implemented the same features in Hold+ v3.0 for people who wanted some buttons to be usable in hold mode.Changelog:Reduced CPU usage by delaying longer in main loop. Since v3.0 the main loop doesn't do much so it needn't run as fast as before. This *should* alleviate problems with the battery icon.Now its not possible to accidently press 'other' buttons in hold mode while holding Select button. Ex: If you are holding Select + VolUp to increase volume, and you accidently press X, the X button will not have effect.

Another update for Torch's useful Hold+ plugin has been released. After last week's v2.64, we now find Hold + v2.71 on our laps. All previous features that made this battery-saving plugin popular is still in this version, plus a couple fixes and improvements.Here's the full changelog since v2.64:Changelog v2.71 * Fixed a bug where after the first time you resume from suspend the Analog Up + Hold Switch Off would not work.Changelog v2.7 * LEDs are turned off when in Hold mode or Display Off mode, but they are flashed every 30 seconds so that the PSP is not mistaken to be powered off. * Fixed a bug introduced in v2.64 where the PSP wouldn't automatically suspend after being idle while in Hold mode or Display Off mode.The downloadable archive contains a readme which includes more info on the plug in: development history, installation notes, and other notes from the developer.

From developer Torch:Tested on 4.01M33-2 Slim.This is a simple plugin I made a long time ago for my personal use. I just found the source code while going through some old stuff on my computer, so I thought I'd clean up the code a bit and release the plugin.I realize that there are other plugins that feature similar functionality but I wrote my own because I wanted to be sure its coded optimally, as there are a few careless ways in which these functions can be improperly used (the point of this after all is to conserve battery life).It does the following when the Hold switch is enabled:* Switches off the LCD backlight.* Switches off the actual LCD screen.(This is important because the backlight and actual screen are two different things. You can have an image being displayed on the screen while the backlight is switched off, such that you can see the image if you use a flashlight. You can also have the screen switched off while the backlight still illuminates the powered off screen.)* Underclocks the CPU to 61MHz(Sony has changed the clock speed functions such that only certain combinations of speeds work correctly. Simply trying to underclock to arbitrary values will result in the CPU simply running at the stock speed. I have verified that Hold+ successfully underclocks to 61MHz.)* The original screen brightness and clock speed are restored when the Hold switch is released.* Prevents the PSP from going into suspend mode if you accidently push the power switch too far when turning off Hold mode.* Allows operation of the PSP with the display turned off, to change volume, skip songs etc.Usage:Turn on the Hold switch to automatically disable the display and underclock the CPU. Turn off the Hold switch to return the CPU to normal speed and enable the display.If you push the ANALOG UP button when turning on the hold switch, it will only lock the keypad like normal Hold mode. The display and CPU speed will not be changed, so that you can watch videos etc. with the keypad locked.If you push the ANALOG UP button when turning off the hold switch, the display will remain switched off and the CPU will remain underclocked, but you can operate the PSP. This is useful if you just need to adjust the volume, fast forward/rewind, or to skip to the next song, without unnecessarily turning on the display. To return to normal, push the power switch to the suspend position, or just press the Screen button.Installation:You can install it in the seplugins folder, and make an entry in VSH.txt. Thus it will be active in the XMB. Its also possible to use it in games by adding it to GAME.txt, but some games may crash etc., if the CPU is underclocked to such a low value.Optionally, its also possible to install it in your PSP's flash0 so that it will work without a memory card. For this you can use FreePlay's "NewBTCFNedit" and enable it for VSH mode in the all the PSPBT?NF.bin files. Add it after vshmain.prx.Advanced:If you want to change the clock speed to your own values, you can use a hex editor to change them. The offsets in the file for v2.63 are0x360, 0x364 - CPU,GPU (Both should be same)0x36C - Bus (Should be half the CPU speed or less)The values should be entered in hexadecimal. The default value for CPU/GPU is 3C (60 MHz in decimal) and the default value for bus is 1E (30 MHz in decimal).Note that simply using any arbitrary value will not work. You will have to test and see which values for CPU/GPU and Bus speed work.Credits:Thanks to adrahil for helping with preventing the suspend mode.

Homebrew developer Torch has come out with a new version of his Hold+ homebrew, bringing us to Hold+ version 2.63. For those who haven't heard of it, Hold+ is a power-saving plugin for your PSP that seeks to extend the battery life of the handheld by shutting or throttling down unneeded functions.Here's the change that comes with version 2.63: * Fixed a bug where turning off the Hold switch very fast (less than 100ms) to the Power position would cause the PSP to enter standby.As always, we suggest you check the readme included in the download before using the plugin on your PSP.

Homebrew developer Torch recently dropped us a line to inform us that the latest version of the power saving plugin for the PlayStation Portable, Hold+, is now available for download.Version 2.62 of the homebrew plugin fixes a bug found in the previous version, which shuts down the responsiveness of the Analog Up feature after opening the Photo menu in the XMB. It definitely makes things more convenient for those who like using their handheld as a multimedia device.Here are the specifics to the new change added in Hold+ v2.62:Fixed a bug where the Analog Up features would not respond after opening the Photo menu in the XMB. After you exit the Photo menu, just toggle the Hold switch once and the Analog Up features should work after that.Don't forget to read the documentation included in the file bundle before copying any files into your PSP. You can also discuss the program with the developer by visiting the project release thread we've linked to the PSP Development forum (found in the main article).

Having some difficulty with running some of Hold+'s functions on your PSP since it updated to version 2.6? Don't worry - Torch has also caught wind of its issues, and has release build v2.61 as a fix.In case you're a new reader, Hold+ is a homebrew plugin that enables you to save your PSP battery life by switching off its LCD backlight and actual LCD screen, and underclocking your unit's CPU. All this just by setting's your PSP's power switch to Hold.Version 2.61 in particular should address a problem that interfered with the plugin's Analog Up features (quoting the readme):Fixed a bug that was introduced in v2.6 that caused the control input buffer to completely fill up, hence causing the Analog Up features not to work in Hold mode, when the plugin was used for an extended period of time.Those interested in using this plugin will first want to check the readme included with the file bundle for instructions on installation and controls. You may also want to visit Torch's release thread at the QJ.NET PSP Development Forum if you're interested in leaving your feedback.

Sony PSP homebrew coder Torch has tipped us off that his Hold+ v2.6 battery saver plugin has been released. He tells us that it's a program he wrote some time ago for personal use, but he found the source while browsing through old stuff in his PC and decided to share it with us.If you're not familiar with Hold, it allows you to save battery life by giving you the option to switch off the backlights, the LCD screen, it underclocks the CPU, and more. As for the changes in version 2.6, this is what Torch had to say:Modified the code a bit so that it should work better in GAME mode, although I don't really support using it in GAME mode.You can view the usage and installation instructions in the readme or via the "visit" link below. Make sure you go through the notes before you start trying to use the application. Enjoy!

Homebrew developer Torch has updated Hold+ to version 2.5. This latest release sees a number of improvements that should make this power saving application much more convenient to use than before.According to the application's release thread on the QJ.NET PSP development forums, the program now allows locking of the keypad without dropping CPU speed or changing the display as well as a change in how to turn off the display of the handheld. Here's a look at the Changelog: * Added feature to allow normal Hold mode where only the keypad will be locked without changing the display or CPU speed. Hold ANALOG UP when turning on Hold to do this. * The button for operating in Display Off mode has also been changed to ANALOG UP while turning off Hold.Like all homebrew, remember to go over the documentation included with the application to avoid any problems.

Homebrew developer Torch gives more power to your PlayStation Portable with the latest release of the energy saving plug-in Hold+. Those of you looking to conserve your handheld's batteries should definitely look into getting version 2.4 of the program.The developer was finally able to address a bug which was popping up in previous version of the program. Here's a description of the fix taken from the developer's thread:Bugfix: When the PSP was left in Hold mode for longer than the idle timeout, and then you hold UP and turn off Hold, the screen used to turn on even though you were holding UP.More details regarding Hold+ v2.4 can be found in the Readme.txt file included in the bundle. Please make sure to go through it before copying any files into your handheld.You can also drop the developer a line by visiting the QJ.NET PSP Devleopment forum, accessible through the link below.

Torch dropped us a line earlier to announce that version 2.3 of Hold+ is now ready for download. This homebrew plugin, in case you weren't around during our previous coverage, allows you to temporarily power down several of the PSP's less important functions by just clicking on the hold switch.Version 2.3 addresses a bug that was found with a new feature that was added in version 2.2 (quoting Torch's email):When the PSP was operated in display off mode (after holding UP and turning off Hold), if left idle for the duration of the LCD idle timeout, then after that pressing any key would enable the display. It was supposed to enable the display only on pressing the Screen key.Hold+ v2.3 was tested on a PSP Slim running on custom firmware 4.01 M33-2. Further details on running and installing this plugin on your handheld are available in the file bundle's readme. You may also want to visit Torch's release thread at the QJ.NET PSP Development Forum in case you're interested in leaving your feedback.

Running out of juice on your Sony PlayStation Portable? Well, you should probably take a look at Homebrew Developer Torch's Hold+ v2.2. For those who missed the previous release, it is a plug-in which should help conserve the battery life of the handheld.According to the change log of the plug-in, users should now be able to run the PSP while the display is turned off. Quite useful for those who use their PSPs to listen to MP3s while on the go.Like all plug-ins, remember to go over the documentation (readme.txt file) included with the program to avoid any problems with the installation and use of the program.

Homebrew developer Torch's useful application, Hold, is updated once again (previous update here). For those who aren't familiar with the program yet, Hold is practically a plug-in that conserves battery life. No more, no less.In order to save battery juice, Hold switches off the screen (both the backlight and the LCD) and underclocks the PSP to 61MHz when the Hold switch is enabled.What's new with this release? Here's the lowdown straight from the homebrew developer:Fixed a bug where if the Hold switch was turned off and quickly turned on again, the PSP would not suspend after being left idle for a few minutes (the idle timeout didn't work).As always, do not forget to go over the readme notes included in the download link below before you try and install Hold. Important installation procedures are written in the readme file. If you have any questions or comments concerning the program, then you can drop by his thread via the Visit link to get hold of Torch directly.

Torch is back and he's brought along v2.0 for his Hold PSP homebrew application. Hold is basically a plug-in to make sure you make the most out of your battery life, while conserving it as well.Looks as if for this version, the only differences from the previous v1.0 is that this one's been tested on 4.01M33-2 Slim, and that it's now been tweaked to prevent the PSP from going into suspend mode if you accidentally push the power switch too far when turning off Hold mode.If you're new to this app, here's a view of the changelog from the last time it was upped so you'll know what to expect from it as well: * Switches off the LCD backlight. * Switches off the actual LCD screen. * (This is important because the backlight and actual screen are two different things. You can have an image being displayed on the screen while the backlight is switched off, such that you can see the image if you use a flashlight. You can also have the screen switched off while the backlight still illuminates the powered off screen.) * Underclocks the CPU to 61MHz * (Sony has changed the clock speed functions such that only certain combinations of speeds work correctly. Simply trying to underclock to arbitrary values will result in the CPU simply running at the stock speed. I have verified that Hold+ successfully underclocks to 61MHz.) * The original screen brightness and clock speed are restored when the Hold switch is released.Be sure to check out the forums thread as well as the readme included in the .zipfile bundle to make sure you're doing it right, okay?Thanks for the heads up, Torch!

While the PSP's a handy portable system to have around, one major problem that's plagued it since day one is its chronically short battery life. Buying longer-lasting batteries go a long way to alleviate this, but in the end, the best way to preserve the PSP's run time is for us to be efficient in using it.

If you're particularly keen on conserving your PSP's power, you may want to check out this plugin that developer Torch released over at the QJ.NET Forums. It's dubbed Hold+ v1.0, and basically allows your PSP to do the following things when you click on its Hold switch quoting the readme:

• Switches off the LCD backlight.
• Switches off the actual LCD screen. (This is important because the backlight and actual screen are two different things. You can have an image being displayed on the screen while the backlight is switched off, such that you can see the image if you use a flashlight. You can also have the screen switched off while the backlight still illuminates the powered off screen.)
• Underclocks the CPU to 61MHz (Sony has changed the clock speed functions such that only certain combinations of speeds work correctly. Simply trying to underclock to arbitary values will result in the CPU simply running at the stock speed. I have verified that Hold+ successfully underclocks to 61MHz.)
• The original screen brightness and clock speed are restored when the Hold switch is released.

Further details on installing this homebrew plugin are available in the file bundle's readme. You may also want to visit Torch's release thread at the QJ.NET PSP Development Forum is you're interested in leaving your feedback.