Build your own (cheap!) multi-function wireless camera controller.

Step 19 Putting it all together

You can choose how you want to build it, i highly recommend you just whack it on a bit of stripboard.

Very large schematic PNG (Eagle) - http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/8904/cameracontrollerschemat.png/4743/cameracontrollerschematm.png

I've uploaded the Eagle file too (for easier viewing), but it's not ready for PCB-ing, you'll need to double check components for correct sizing.

1.  Prep the enclosure (picture 1), masking out the top for easy drawing
2.  Cut out holes for parts (picture 2), very badly in my case
3.  Work out the layout of the breadboard, noting where you should cut tracks
4.  Solder on the two DIL sockets first
5.  Add a programming header if you want (makes life easier)
6.  Solder the crystal and capacitors
7.  Connect the programming header to the relevant pins and check if your computer "sees" the chip when you put it in the socket
8.  Solder the power supply components
9.  Solder the MOSFET and nearby components (note MOSFETs are very sensitive to heat, you should use a heat sink such as a crocodile clip (or even a paper clip) when soldering them)
10.  Solder wires onto all the buttons 
11.  Connect these wires to the breadboard in the appropriate locations
12.  Solder the LED to one end of the speaker wire (noting which side is  positive and which is negative.
13.  Solder the speaker wire to the 3V rail on the board and to the drain lead of the MOSFET.
14.  Solder a wire going into the ADC port and another to ground
15.  Solder two more wires for the status LEDs (and also solder the resistors for them)
16.  Solder the LCD to the stripboard
17.  Solder the battery box to the board
18. Attempt to fit all your components into your enclosure (i slighlty failed this part!)
19. Power on and see what happens!

You will probably encounter some problems, when i built this circuit, i realised i'd soldered in a much larger value resistor with the MOSFET and it took me a long time to notice (after i'd changed the FET twice, checked the LED, etc).  It is easy to make mistakes with this kind of thing (especially without a PCB that holds your hand with component placing).

Take special care when fitting everything in your project enclosure.  Mine is a very tight fit and i don't really like it.  It works and that's fine, but you need to really take time to work out what has to go in in what order.  I can't stress that enough.  You don't want to solder everything in, glue it down and then realise that you forgot to add some dreadfully important cable!

Now, i apologise i didn't go into more detail about this.  I have supplied a photograph of the breadboard i used and i hope to add a diagram of where everything was fitted.  The reason i am tentative is because i had to make a few changes (such as adding an extra resistor for the contrast of the LCD) and i'm not entirely sure it's as efficient as it could be.  With the schematic, it should be fairly simple to design a layout - especially if you breadboarded it first (given that stripboard and breadboard layouts are essentially the same with row connections).