Here is the link to Wiki.Etree.org's Seeding Guidelines...
http://wiki.etree.org/index.php?page=SeedingGuidelinesThis may be the best place to find out stuff like DAT>WAV transfers...
As for WAV>SHN/FLAC - Use MKW or Wren's FLAC Frontend... Both found also at wiki.etree for DL. Both are easy...
The Delta Dio 2496 is perfect. Going rca out>1/8" defeats the whole purpose of digital, you just added an analog generation.
But the DD2496 is good, should be able to go digi out into it and your computer. At this point, I'm not sure, but some folks I know use Samplitude as it goes 48>44 on the fly... But I think CDWave and SoundForge both will record your DAT as a WAV.
Once that is done, cut tracks with CDWave (remember to cut the first few seconds off the front AND back to get nice clean edges free of SBEs - sector boundary errors).
Then drop your new tracks into MKW or FLAC FE and viola! Write up a text, and send us copies!
Terry