I think that the reports so far indicate that an electronic clock that manages the byoyomi all by itself absolutely needs a very noticable time alert.

I think that it is very frustrating to lose a won game mainly due to a clock malfunction. A clock that requires constant checking would be a major distraction, and a clock where you do not know that it needs constant checking is simply a trap.

The top players have a 1 minute byoyomi. I would like to know whether Rob van Zeijst really had realized he was in byoyomi, since most players would play within a minute in the late endgame anyway.

I think that the reports so far indicate that an electronic clock that manages the byoyomi all by itself absolutely needs a very noticable time alert.

1x30 sec killer byouyomi ... too hard to control time in difficult situations, if there are no backups in reserve. ... in Weekend tournament where there was just 1x20 sec over time controls was absolutely horrible to play.

Main problem with this issue was that there was only one byouyomi period available. When organizers decided to use only one byouyomi period instead of three, they also doomed Zeist or other top player (not to mention all other players who played with 1x30 sec killer byouyomi!) will lose by time. It is just too hard to control time in difficult situations, if there are no backups in reserve.

It is foolish to say that time control is part of the game, if it is too difficult part of game to handle even for 7-dan. 3x50 sec is far less prone to accidental timelosses. Especially in Weekend tournament where there was just 1x20 sec over time controls was absolutely horrible to play. (Having Ing clocks did not make things any better.)

Thinking Times

* The thinking times are the same for both players and depend on the higher ranked player as follows:
o 4 dan - 7 dan: 2.5 hours basic time + 1 minute byoyomi
o 3 kyu - 3 dan: 2 hours basic time + 45 seconds byoyomi
o 4 kyu or below: 1.5 hours basic time + 30 seconds byoyomi
However, if the clocks cannot manage 45 seconds byoyomi, then 40 seconds byoyomi is used.

Personally I do not understand why some people don't like the talking clocks.

Maybe the most fundamental point is that a bad workman always blames his tools?

And byoyomi is byoyomi, i.e. additional time. It may naturally require constant checking because you are anyway not supposed to play as comfortably as in your main time.

The use of this time is by no means "extra" but has to be seen as a portion taken from the overall thinking time. Intentionally making the use of this time "uncomfortable" is contrary to the spirit of sportsmanship.

I've seen games where people with difficulty seeing have been helped by their opponents when using tick-tock-only analogue clocks, but whether such sportsmanship can fairly be expected when big prizes are around is hard to say.

...
Maybe the most fundamental point is that a bad workman always blames his tools?

Go is a competion of minds,
not of hands (someone who is motor skill impaired should get some additional time to make the use of "hands" between both players even),
not of eyes (someone who cannot locate if the flag has fallen or not should be helped with either a more suitable clock or some human support),
not of ears (someone who has difficulties in realising what a "talking" clock says should be helped with either a more suitable clock or some human support).

What else is there to consider in a further appeal?

1. The clock was working and set correctly (according to the original post).
2. Both players knew the time limits and were aware of the penalty of exceeding the time limit.
3. A player ran out of time and therefore lost.

Nothing else seems relevant to the inquiry, except perhaps the fundamental law spanning all of Sport throughout time of not wanting referees to interfere with the proper result of games

If you want a competition that doesn't require attention to the clock, play without clocks - or with very long time settings.

Tournament go often involves timekeeping skills.