How to find media files with Google and VLC media player

The Google query

intitle:"index of" "last modified" ("uhd" OR "2160p" OR "1080p" OR "hevc" OR "x265" OR "H265" OR "x264" OR "H264") ("mp4" OR "mkv") -inurl:html -inurl:htm -inurl:shtml -inurl:xhtml -inurl:php -inurl:phtml -inurl:asp -inurl:aspx -inurl:jsp -inurl:jspx -inurl:cfm -inurl:cgi -inurl:pl -inurl:do -inurl:action -inurl:md -inurl:markdown -inurl:pdf

Quick tips

• ChatGPT made this insanely awesome web spider (Linux shell script) — Generate a list of video links you can feed to wget.
  wget -i urls
  Or...
  
  wget --no-host-directories --force-directories --no-clobber --cut-dirs=0 -i urls
• Use additional terms like site:.edu, a movie/show title, or a year to narrow results.
• Prefer directory listings showing file sizes/dates; avoid pages that are clearly HTML content.
• If the VLC media player can play a video, it can usually stream the URL directly.
• To preview a link in VLC: open VLC, press Ctrl+N, paste the URL, and hit Enter.

Examples found from similar searches

• Alternative Math (2017) • (vimeo stream)
• Cool stuff — This directory is on the website of eso.org, home of the world’s largest telescope.

Step-by-step: go from search to streaming

1. Open the Google link above. Scan results for plain directory listings that show file names, sizes, and “Last modified” dates.
2. Click into a likely directory. Look for common video extensions such as .mp4 or .mkv.
3. Right-click a file and copy its direct link URL.
4. In VLC: Media → Open Network Stream (or Ctrl+N) → paste URL → Play.
5. If playback works and you want to keep a copy, use wget (see commands above) or save from VLC’s “Convert/Save.”

Refinements (without changing the base parameters)

You can add your own words after the existing query to narrow results while keeping the same parameters. Examples:

• Add a domain scope like site:.edu or site:example.com.
• Add a year/title, e.g., 2020 or "planet earth".
• Exclude noisy terms with minus, e.g., -sample or -trailer.

Tip: Don’t remove or alter anything inside the existing parentheses; just append your extra words at the end of the query box.

Streaming tips in VLC

• Skip ahead works on most servers if the file supports HTTP range requests.
• Subtitles: Drag-and-drop a .srt file onto VLC, or use Subtitle → Add Subtitle File…
• Playlists: Add multiple URLs to VLC’s playlist (View → Playlist) to binge through a folder.

Batch-download responsibly

These optional flags keep downloads polite and resumable:

Random wait between requests, resume partial files, and keep timestamps.

wget --random-wait --wait=0.5 --continue --timestamping -i urls

Limit speed if you're on a slow connection.

wget --limit-rate=2m -i urls

Mirror a specific directory tree (same host only), without clobbering existing files.

wget --recursive --no-parent --no-clobber --page-requisites --convert-links --continue
 --timestamping https://example.com/path/

Troubleshooting & false positives

• Plays in browser but not VLC: The URL may point to a web page, not a file. Look for file extensions and a Content-Type: video/* header.
• “Forbidden” or “Unauthorized”: The server might restrict hotlinking. Try a different file or directory.
• Looks like a directory but it isn’t: Many content sites mimic “index of” layouts. Prefer listings that show size/date columns.
• Slow or interrupted downloads: Use --continue and consider --limit-rate to play nice with the host.

Safety & legality checklist

• Respect each site’s Terms of Service and robots rules.
• Only stream or download content you’re legally allowed to access in your jurisdiction.
• Avoid hammering servers; add a wait or speed limit when bulk downloading.
• Scan unfamiliar files before opening.

FAQ