Okay, so I've downloaded Vobsub, as suggested (thanks for the suggestion and link, by the way!).
Vobsub couldn't handle the txt file but I used batlamtossub v12 (a terrific free tool/player -- except that the help files are in Turkish) to convert the .txt into a .sub file which Voxsub could handle.
However, I can't figure out how to make VoxSub interact with MC9. I've got both files in the same folder and they now look like this:
Avalon - DivX - 00 - _Movies_ -.sub
Avalon - DivX - 00 - _Movies_ -.avi
Media Center ignores the sub file and the MC plug-in manager doesn't seem to recognize VoxSub as compatible -- nor Does VoxSub seem to have any way of linking up with MC9 as far as I can tell.
Now, with a progam such as SubViewer 3.063 (free, a little buggy, but pretty good . . . works best when batlamtossub v12 is used to refine/convert/correct the subtitle files first) I can view the movie synched with subtiles with ease. But that's not the point . .. the point is that I'd like to see MC9 handle the subtitles. Am I using VoxSub incorrectly? With it, I can load the subtilte file, I can see the sync times, I can tweak, re-combine sub files . . . but for the use I want (as a plug-in that makes MC9 handle the file) I can't make heads-or-tails of the program.
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Wait. I'm an idiot . . . I set the "Auto load" function to on, rebooted, and now the little arrow is in my task bar and subtitles are perfect and these configurations make sense. Terrific.
VoxSub isn't auto-recognizing the sub file but it allows me to load it manually. (at which point it will place the subtitles up over the video in practically ANY program I'm using, which is cool) One small thing, though: although it presents the option of allowing the text to be displayed BELOW the image, I can't get this to work in MC9 ... the vertical and horzontal padding options seem to have no effect, so when the text is moved too far to the left or right is disappears. However, it's still a nifty program.
Thanks again! VoxSub rocks!