LM380 based Audio amp - Help needed

I need some help putting together an audio amp with an LM380n IC. There are plenty of schematics online.. the issue is I don't know how to read them :S.

is there an idiot's guide or an extremely simplified layout somewhere?

Post the schematic that you are using and I can simplify it.

I was using one on the pc2jamma webpage.. It involved using a 250 cap (weird, right? I ended up using 220 caps). It Worked (barely), but the ic got hot and there was a ton of interference in the video, and the sound was garbled.

Sent from my RM-820_nam_att_100 using Board Express

220uf is fine. Did you solder the extra ground pins (3-4-6-10-11-12) to act as a heatsink? That would take care of the heat.
Can you post a picture of how you soldered it up?