For a digital recorder you might look at the Tascam DR-100mkII. It is a portable recorder with a digital input. It records to a SD disk. To move the files to a PC you can either copy them over the USB or move the SD card to the PC and copy them with Explorer. Either of the Sony HAP music servers would be a good option for a player without having to learn a PC player app. It will copy your PC files to the music server. The DR-100mkII has a feature to automatically separate tracks, which should work pretty well with digital files. You can tag the tracks with the Sony music server.
Another simpler option is a CD recorder. It takes in either a digital or analog signal and writes a CD-R or CD-RW which can be played in any CD player that plays CD-RW or CD-R discs. The TASCAM CD-RW 900MKII is a good option, It has both digital and analog inputs, can separate tracks automatically and you can enter titles for the CD and the tracks. The disadvantage is that it only takes 44.1 K digital inputs. To do 48 K tapes you would have to convert them to analog and let the Tascam convert it to 44 K digital. Once you have the tracks on the CD-R (or RW) you will be able to transfer them to a PC player in the future if you want. The unit will also play back the disks using its analog outputs or its digital outputs to a DAC.
So, there are options. Unfortuatelely, I agree that it is often hard to find local help. This type of conversion is not common for the average local big box PC or TV/audio store.
Another simpler option is a CD recorder. It takes in either a digital or analog signal and writes a CD-R or CD-RW which can be played in any CD player that plays CD-RW or CD-R discs. The TASCAM CD-RW 900MKII is a good option, It has both digital and analog inputs, can separate tracks automatically and you can enter titles for the CD and the tracks. The disadvantage is that it only takes 44.1 K digital inputs. To do 48 K tapes you would have to convert them to analog and let the Tascam convert it to 44 K digital. Once you have the tracks on the CD-R (or RW) you will be able to transfer them to a PC player in the future if you want. The unit will also play back the disks using its analog outputs or its digital outputs to a DAC.
So, there are options. Unfortuatelely, I agree that it is often hard to find local help. This type of conversion is not common for the average local big box PC or TV/audio store.