diff --git a/Gruntfile.js b/Gruntfile.js
index 58864fc58..352cace04 100644
--- a/Gruntfile.js
+++ b/Gruntfile.js
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ module.exports = function(grunt) {
       minified: ['test/minified.html']
     },
     watch: {
-      files: [ "src/**/*.js" ],
+      files: [ "src/**/*.js", "test/unit/*.js" ],
       tasks: "dev"
     }
     // Copy is broken. Waiting for an update to use.
@@ -133,6 +133,7 @@ module.exports = function(grunt) {
                 // + ' --formatting=pretty_print'
                 + ' --js_output_file=' + dest
                 + ' --create_source_map ' + dest + '.map --source_map_format=V3'
+                + ' --jscomp_warning=checkTypes --warning_level=VERBOSE';
                 + ' --output_wrapper "(function() {%output%})();//@ sourceMappingURL=video.js.map"';
 
     files.forEach(function(file){
diff --git a/src/js/component.js b/src/js/component.js
index 148dbf94a..90f0446d2 100644
--- a/src/js/component.js
+++ b/src/js/component.js
@@ -17,8 +17,11 @@ goog.require('vjs.dom');
 vjs.Component = function(player, options, ready){
   this.player_ = player;
 
-  // // Allow for overridding default component options
-  options = this.options_ = this.mergeOptions(this.options_, options);
+  // Make a copy of prototype.options_ to protect against overriding global defaults
+  this.options_ = vjs.obj.copy(this.options_);
+
+  // Updated options with supplied options
+  options = this.options(options);
 
   // Get ID from options, element, or create using player ID and unique ID
   this.id_ = options['id'] || ((options['el'] && options['el']['id']) ? options['el']['id'] : player.id() + '_component_' + vjs.guid++ );
@@ -95,20 +98,20 @@ vjs.Component.prototype.options_;
 /**
  * Deep merge of options objects
  * Whenever a property is an object on both options objects
- * the two properties will be merged using mergeOptions
+ * the two properties will be merged using vjs.obj.deepMerge.
  *
  * This is used for merging options for child components. We
  * want it to be easy to override individual options on a child
  * component without having to rewrite all the other default options.
  *
- * parentDefaultOptions = {
+ * Parent.prototype.options_ = {
  *   children: {
  *     'childOne': { 'foo': 'bar', 'asdf': 'fdsa' },
  *     'childTwo': {},
  *     'childThree': {}
  *   }
  * }
- * parentOptionsFromInit = {
+ * newOptions = {
  *   children: {
  *     'childOne': { 'foo': 'baz', 'abc': '123' }
  *     'childTwo': null,
@@ -116,7 +119,7 @@ vjs.Component.prototype.options_;
  *   }
  * }
  *
- * this.mergeOptions(parentDefaultOptions, parentOptionsFromInit);
+ * this.options(newOptions);
  *
  * RESULT
  *
@@ -129,41 +132,13 @@ vjs.Component.prototype.options_;
  *   }
  * }
  *
- *
- * @param  {Object} obj1 Object whose values will be overwritten
- * @param  {Object} obj2 Object whose values will overwrite
+ * @param  {Object} obj Object whose values will be overwritten
  * @return {Object}      NEW merged object. Does not return obj1.
  */
-vjs.Component.prototype.mergeOptions = function(obj1, obj2){
-  var retObj, toString, hasOwnProp, propName, objDef, val1, val2;
+vjs.Component.prototype.options = function(obj){
+  if (obj === undefined) return this.options_;
 
-  hasOwnProp = Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty;
-  toString = Object.prototype.toString;
-  objDef = '[object Object]';
-  obj1 = obj1 || {};
-  retObj = {};
-
-  // Make a copy of obj1 so we don't affect the original options
-  vjs.eachProp(obj1, function(name, val){
-    retObj[name] = val;
-  });
-
-  if (!obj2) { return retObj; }
-
-  for (propName in obj2){
-    if (hasOwnProp.call(obj2, propName)) {
-      val1 = retObj[propName];
-      val2 = obj2[propName];
-
-      if (toString.call(val1) === objDef && toString.call(val2) === objDef) {
-        retObj[propName] = this.mergeOptions(val1, val2);
-      } else {
-        retObj[propName] = obj2[propName];
-      }
-    }
-  }
-
-  return retObj;
+  return this.options_ = vjs.obj.deepMerge(this.options_, obj);
 };
 
 /**
@@ -363,7 +338,7 @@ vjs.Component.prototype.initChildren = function(){
     var self = this;
 
     // Loop through components and add them to the player
-    vjs.eachProp(options['children'], function(name, opts){
+    vjs.obj.each(options['children'], function(name, opts){
 
       // Allow for disabling default components
       // e.g. vjs.options['children']['posterImage'] = false
diff --git a/src/js/controls.js b/src/js/controls.js
index 7066ff17a..993728a42 100644
--- a/src/js/controls.js
+++ b/src/js/controls.js
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ goog.inherits(vjs.Button, vjs.Control);
 
 vjs.Button.prototype.createEl = function(type, props){
   // Add standard Aria and Tabindex info
-  props = vjs.merge({
+  props = vjs.obj.merge({
     className: this.buildCSSClass(),
     innerHTML: '<div><span class="vjs-control-text">' + (this.buttonText || 'Need Text') + '</span></div>',
     role: 'button',
@@ -486,7 +486,7 @@ vjs.Slider = function(player, options){
 goog.inherits(vjs.Slider, vjs.Component);
 
 vjs.Slider.prototype.createEl = function(type, props) {
-  props = vjs.merge({
+  props = vjs.obj.merge({
     role: 'slider',
     'aria-valuenow': 0,
     'aria-valuemin': 0,
@@ -983,7 +983,7 @@ vjs.MenuItem = function(player, options){
 goog.inherits(vjs.MenuItem, vjs.Button);
 
 vjs.MenuItem.prototype.createEl = function(type, props){
-  return goog.base(this, 'createEl', 'li', vjs.merge({
+  return goog.base(this, 'createEl', 'li', vjs.obj.merge({
     className: 'vjs-menu-item',
     innerHTML: this.options_['label']
   }, props));
diff --git a/src/js/json.js b/src/js/json.js
index ae6b16cdf..3bbb63cdf 100644
--- a/src/js/json.js
+++ b/src/js/json.js
@@ -1,3 +1,9 @@
+/**
+ * @fileoverview Add JSON support
+ * @suppress {undefinedVars}
+ * (Compiler doesn't like JSON not being declared)
+ */
+
 goog.provide('vjs.JSON');
 
 /**
diff --git a/src/js/lib.js b/src/js/lib.js
index 712ee74b4..9a3e98a78 100644
--- a/src/js/lib.js
+++ b/src/js/lib.js
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 goog.provide('vjs.dom');
+goog.provide('vjs.obj');
 
 goog.require('vjs');
 
@@ -35,6 +36,14 @@ vjs.capitalize = function(string){
   return string.charAt(0).toUpperCase() + string.slice(1);
 };
 
+/**
+ * Object functions container
+ * @type {Object}
+ */
+vjs.obj = {};
+vjs.obj.toString = Object.prototype.toString;
+vjs.obj.hasOwnProperty = Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty;
+
 /**
  * Loop through each property in an object and call a function
  * whose arguments are (key,value)
@@ -42,33 +51,71 @@ vjs.capitalize = function(string){
  * @param  {Function} fn  Function to be called on each property.
  * @this {*}
  */
-vjs.eachProp = function(obj, fn){
-  if (!obj) { return; }
-
-  for (var name in obj) {
-    if (obj.hasOwnProperty(name)) {
-      fn.call(this, name, obj[name]);
+vjs.obj.each = function(obj, fn){
+  for (var key in obj) {
+    if (vjs.obj.hasOwnProperty.call(obj, key)) {
+      fn.call(this, key, obj[key]);
     }
   }
 };
 
 /**
  * Merge two objects together and return the original.
- * @param  {[type]} obj1 [description]
- * @param  {[type]} obj2 [description]
- * @param  {[type]} safe [description]
- * @return {[type]}
+ * @param  {Object} obj1
+ * @param  {Object} obj2
+ * @return {Object}
  */
-vjs.merge = function(obj1, obj2){
-  // Make sure second object exists
+vjs.obj.merge = function(obj1, obj2){
   if (!obj2) { return obj1; }
-
-  for (var propName in obj2){
-    if (obj2.hasOwnProperty(propName)) { obj1[propName] = obj2[propName]; }
+  for (var key in obj2){
+    if (vjs.obj.hasOwnProperty.call(obj2, key)) {
+      obj1[key] = obj2[key];
+    }
   }
   return obj1;
 };
 
+/**
+ * Merge two objects, and merge any properties that are objects
+ * instead of just overwriting one. Uses to merge options hashes
+ * where deeper default settings are important.
+ * @param  {Object} obj1 Object to override
+ * @param  {Object} obj2 Overriding object
+ * @return {Object}      New object. Obj1 and Obj2 will be untouched.
+ */
+vjs.obj.deepMerge = function(obj1, obj2){
+  var key, val1, val2, objDef;
+  objDef = '[object Object]';
+
+  // Make a copy of obj1 so we're not ovewriting original values.
+  // like prototype.options_ and all sub options objects
+  obj1 = vjs.obj.copy(obj1);
+
+  for (key in obj2){
+    if (vjs.obj.hasOwnProperty.call(obj2, key)) {
+      val1 = obj1[key];
+      val2 = obj2[key];
+
+      // Check if both properties are pure objects and do a deep merge if so
+      if (vjs.obj.toString.call(val1) === objDef && vjs.obj.toString.call(val2) === objDef) {
+        obj1[key] = vjs.obj.deepMerge(val1, val2);
+      } else {
+        obj1[key] = obj2[key];
+      }
+    }
+  }
+  return obj1;
+};
+
+/**
+ * Make a copy of the supplied object
+ * @param  {Object} obj Object to copy
+ * @return {Object}     Copy of object
+ */
+vjs.obj.copy = function(obj){
+  return vjs.obj.merge({}, obj);
+};
+
 /**
  * Bind (a.k.a proxy or Context). A simple method for changing the context of a function
    It also stores a unique id on the function so it can be easily removed from events
diff --git a/src/js/media.flash.js b/src/js/media.flash.js
index f109a0779..e89a24790 100644
--- a/src/js/media.flash.js
+++ b/src/js/media.flash.js
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ vjs.Flash = function(player, options, ready){
       playerOptions = player.options_,
 
       // Merge default flashvars with ones passed in to init
-      flashVars = vjs.merge({
+      flashVars = vjs.obj.merge({
 
         // SWF Callback Functions
         'readyFunction': 'videojs.Flash.onReady',
@@ -51,13 +51,13 @@ vjs.Flash = function(player, options, ready){
       }, options['flashVars']),
 
       // Merge default parames with ones passed in
-      params = vjs.merge({
+      params = vjs.obj.merge({
         'wmode': 'opaque', // Opaque is needed to overlay controls, but can affect playback performance
         'bgcolor': '#000000' // Using bgcolor prevents a white flash when the object is loading
       }, options['params']),
 
       // Merge default attributes with ones passed in
-      attributes = vjs.merge({
+      attributes = vjs.obj.merge({
         'id': objId,
         'name': objId, // Both ID and Name needed or swf to identifty itself
         'class': 'vjs-tech'
@@ -285,16 +285,19 @@ var createGetter = function(attr){
   api[attr] = function(){ return this.el_.vjs_getProperty(attr); };
 };
 
-// Create getter and setters for all read/write attributes
-for (var i = 0; i < readWrite.length; i++) {
-  createGetter(readWrite[i]);
-  createSetter(readWrite[i]);
-}
+(function(){
+  var i;
+  // Create getter and setters for all read/write attributes
+  for (i = 0; i < readWrite.length; i++) {
+    createGetter(readWrite[i]);
+    createSetter(readWrite[i]);
+  }
 
-// Create getters for read-only attributes
-for (var i = 0; i < readOnly.length; i++) {
-  createGetter(readOnly[i]);
-}
+  // Create getters for read-only attributes
+  for (i = 0; i < readOnly.length; i++) {
+    createGetter(readOnly[i]);
+  }
+})();
 
 /* Flash Support Testing -------------------------------------------------------- */
 
@@ -434,13 +437,13 @@ vjs.Flash.getEmbedCode = function(swf, flashVars, params, attributes){
 
   // Convert flash vars to string
   if (flashVars) {
-    vjs.eachProp(flashVars, function(key, val){
+    vjs.obj.each(flashVars, function(key, val){
       flashVarsString += (key + '=' + val + '&amp;');
     });
   }
 
   // Add swf, flashVars, and other default params
-  params = vjs.merge({
+  params = vjs.obj.merge({
     'movie': swf,
     'flashvars': flashVarsString,
     'allowScriptAccess': 'always', // Required to talk to swf
@@ -448,11 +451,11 @@ vjs.Flash.getEmbedCode = function(swf, flashVars, params, attributes){
   }, params);
 
   // Create param tags string
-  vjs.eachProp(params, function(key, val){
+  vjs.obj.each(params, function(key, val){
     paramsString += '<param name="'+key+'" value="'+val+'" />';
   });
 
-  attributes = vjs.merge({
+  attributes = vjs.obj.merge({
     // Add swf to attributes (need both for IE and Others to work)
     'data': swf,
 
@@ -463,7 +466,7 @@ vjs.Flash.getEmbedCode = function(swf, flashVars, params, attributes){
   }, attributes);
 
   // Create Attributes string
-  vjs.eachProp(attributes, function(key, val){
+  vjs.obj.each(attributes, function(key, val){
     attrsString += (key + '="' + val + '" ');
   });
 
diff --git a/src/js/player.js b/src/js/player.js
index 579c79c95..79339a1ec 100644
--- a/src/js/player.js
+++ b/src/js/player.js
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ vjs.Player = function(tag, options, ready){
   // which overrides globally set options.
   // This latter part coincides with the load order
   // (tag must exist before Player)
-  options = this.mergeOptions(this.getTagSettings(tag), options);
+  options = vjs.obj.merge(this.getTagSettings(tag), options);
 
   // Cache for video property values.
   this.cache_ = {};
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ vjs.Player.prototype.getTagSettings = function(tag){
     'tracks': []
   };
 
-  vjs.merge(options, vjs.getAttributeValues(tag));
+  vjs.obj.merge(options, vjs.getAttributeValues(tag));
 
   // Get tag children settings
   if (tag.hasChildNodes()) {
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ vjs.Player.prototype.loadTech = function(techName, source){
   };
 
   // Grab tech-specific options from player options and add source and parent element to use.
-  var techOptions = vjs.merge({ source: source, parentEl: this.el_ }, this.options_[techName.toLowerCase()]);
+  var techOptions = vjs.obj.merge({ source: source, parentEl: this.el_ }, this.options_[techName.toLowerCase()]);
 
   if (source) {
     if (source.src == this.cache_.src && this.cache_.currentTime > 0) {
@@ -832,7 +832,7 @@ vjs.Player.prototype.poster_;
 /**
  * Get or set the poster image source url.
  * @param  {String} src Poster image source URL
- * @return {String=}    Poster image source URL or null
+ * @return {String}    Poster image source URL or null
  */
 vjs.Player.prototype.poster = function(src){
   if (src !== undefined) {
diff --git a/src/js/tracks.js b/src/js/tracks.js
index 742399e87..2bd1af3a8 100644
--- a/src/js/tracks.js
+++ b/src/js/tracks.js
@@ -1012,7 +1012,7 @@ vjs.ChaptersTrackMenuItem.prototype.update = function(){
 };
 
 // Add Buttons to controlBar
-vjs.merge(vjs.ControlBar.prototype.options_['children'], {
+vjs.obj.merge(vjs.ControlBar.prototype.options_['children'], {
   'subtitlesButton': {},
   'captionsButton': {},
   'chaptersButton': {}
diff --git a/test/unit/component.js b/test/unit/component.js
index f2d098137..6d34754d9 100644
--- a/test/unit/component.js
+++ b/test/unit/component.js
@@ -37,24 +37,25 @@ test('should init child coponents from options', function(){
 });
 
 test('should do a deep merge of child options', function(){
-  var compDefaultOptions = {
-    'children': {
+  // Create a default option for component
+  vjs.Component.prototype.options_ = {
+    'example': {
       'childOne': { 'foo': 'bar', 'asdf': 'fdsa' },
       'childTwo': {},
       'childThree': {}
     }
   }
 
-  var compInitOptions = {
-    'children': {
+  var comp = new vjs.Component(getFakePlayer(), {
+    'example': {
       'childOne': { 'foo': 'baz', 'abc': '123' },
       'childThree': null,
       'childFour': {}
     }
-  }
+  });
 
-  var mergedOptions = vjs.Component.prototype.mergeOptions(compDefaultOptions, compInitOptions);
-  var children = mergedOptions['children'];
+  var mergedOptions = comp.options();
+  var children = mergedOptions['example'];
 
   ok(children['childOne']['foo'] === 'baz', 'value three levels deep overridden');
   ok(children['childOne']['asdf'] === 'fdsa', 'value three levels deep maintained');
@@ -62,6 +63,11 @@ test('should do a deep merge of child options', function(){
   ok(children['childTwo'], 'object two levels deep maintained');
   ok(children['childThree'] === null, 'object two levels deep removed');
   ok(children['childFour'], 'object two levels deep added');
+
+  ok(vjs.Component.prototype.options_['example']['childOne']['foo'] === 'bar', 'prototype options were not overridden');
+
+  // Reset default component options to none
+  vjs.Component.prototype.options_ = null;
 });
 
 test('should dispose of component and children', function(){
diff --git a/test/unit/core.js b/test/unit/core.js
index 4f0ae7246..5e6390220 100644
--- a/test/unit/core.js
+++ b/test/unit/core.js
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ test('should create a video tag and have access children in old IE', function(){
 
   fixture.innerHTML += "<video id='test_vid_id'><source type='video/mp4'></video>";
 
-  vid = document.getElementById('test_vid_id');
+  var vid = document.getElementById('test_vid_id');
 
   ok(vid.childNodes.length === 1);
   ok(vid.childNodes[0].getAttribute('type') === 'video/mp4');
diff --git a/test/unit/lib.js b/test/unit/lib.js
index 910d130c1..526db0e84 100644
--- a/test/unit/lib.js
+++ b/test/unit/lib.js
@@ -22,13 +22,25 @@ test('should loop through each property on an object', function(){
   }
 
   // Add 3 to each value
-  vjs.eachProp(asdf, function(key, value){
+  vjs.obj.each(asdf, function(key, value){
     asdf[key] = value + 3;
   });
 
   deepEqual(asdf,{a:4,b:5,'c':6})
 });
 
+test('should copy an object', function(){
+  var asdf = {
+    a: 1,
+    b: 2,
+    'c': 3
+  }
+
+  var fdsa = vjs.obj.copy(asdf);
+
+  deepEqual(asdf,fdsa)
+});
+
 test('should add context to a function', function(){
   var newContext = { test: 'obj'};
   var asdf = function(){
diff --git a/test/unit/mediafaker.js b/test/unit/mediafaker.js
index 332623f17..6381eef52 100644
--- a/test/unit/mediafaker.js
+++ b/test/unit/mediafaker.js
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
-// Fake a media playback tech controller so that player tests 
+// Fake a media playback tech controller so that player tests
 // can run without HTML5 or Flash, of which PhantomJS supports neither.
 
+/**
+ * @constructor
+ */
 vjs.MediaFaker = function(player, options, onReady){
   goog.base(this, player, options, onReady);
 
@@ -30,4 +33,4 @@ vjs.MediaFaker.prototype.volume = function(){ return 0; };
 
 goog.exportSymbol('videojs.MediaFaker', vjs.MediaFaker);
 goog.exportProperty(vjs.MediaFaker, 'isSupported', vjs.MediaFaker.isSupported);
-goog.exportProperty(vjs.MediaFaker, 'canPlaySource', vjs.MediaFaker.canPlaySource);
\ No newline at end of file
+goog.exportProperty(vjs.MediaFaker, 'canPlaySource', vjs.MediaFaker.canPlaySource);
diff --git a/test/unit/player.js b/test/unit/player.js
index d4331b5d6..524a7bc40 100644
--- a/test/unit/player.js
+++ b/test/unit/player.js
@@ -8,12 +8,13 @@ var PlayerTest = {
     return videoTag;
   },
   makePlayer: function(playerOptions){
+    var player;
     var videoTag = PlayerTest.makeTag();
 
     var fixture = document.getElementById('qunit-fixture');
     fixture.appendChild(videoTag);
 
-    var opts = vjs.merge({
+    var opts = vjs.obj.merge({
       'techOrder': ['mediaFaker']
     }, playerOptions);