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Since not everyone will view the OV-chipkaart thread, it's re-posted here.


From the GVB site...

Distinct sound difference between checking in and out

As of 3 July, the sounds will change for the OV-chipkaart reader in the tram, bus, and metro. There will be a difference between checking in and out, the error tone is different, and the sound will be somewhat louder. The request to change the sounds came from passengers, consumer organizations, and GVB employees.

Clearer
The changes will ensure that passengers, and particularly those with a visual handicap, and the driver and conductor will clearly be able to hear whether the check in or out was successful or not.The sounds are the same as for the NS card readers. A single tone for checking in, two for checking out, and three for the error tone.

More info shown on the displays 
The info on the display will also be changed as of 3 July. Previously, the fare was only shown when checking out when traveling on a balance or the remaining balance when traveling outside the zone. This is now the case for every travel product on a personal or anonymous card. 

http://en.gvb.nl/reisinformatie/reizenm ... idjes.aspx

I can see the point of having a different error tone, but I'm not sure why there's a need for different ones for checking in and out, unless some people don't know whether they're coming or going.

What I'd like to see, and what they apparently haven't done, is balance displayed on checking in. What if you don't have enough when you get to your destination, although you thought you had? Because the pricing of trams (and pretty much everything else) is very, very Dutch: there's a flat rate for making a trip, which I think I've seen once but forgotten, because the official websites don't make it easy to find. And then you're charged for every centimetre travelled – I noticed that getting off at Nieuwezijds Kolk for Utopia instead of one stop further for Central Station saved me all of 9 cents. I could weep. But what if you only have a small amount left, but you don't know it, and overshoot your balance? Presumably you have to join those who've forgotten to check out at that place across from the station, pay a hefty fine and have your name put on the terrorist register.