I actually really like that idea, and have never heard it before. Brilliant.
But, again, where I think some people are going off the rails here is that they're not factoring in a dozen or more of these mistakes throughout the course of the game--often affecting both sides. For instance, you mention 1st downs and getting the correct spot. Notice how teams only really complain when it's the 3rd(or 4th) down spot. The refs inadvertently shortchange an offense(or are overly generous) by a foot or more literally all the time on first and second down, with no protest. Obviously that adds up and eventually a team is just short, or is wrongly given the first, on 3rd/4th down. But coaches and players don't get all up in arms when a 1st down run mid-second quarter was called a gain of 3 when it should have actually been 4(or the opposite), even though that may very well be the difference in whether or not they have to punt or kick a FG on that drive. But the same play, on a 3rd or 4th down in the final 2 minutes is a travesty. And even though it can be reviewed, there are cases where they simply can't gain enough visual evidence to overturn an initial call so a bad call stands.
So put aside entire games and the mistakes that could be corrected by replay. Within a single drive, at any point during a contest, there are multiple eyeball judgments that are clearly in error and we just live with it. That's just the nature of sports and interfering more will only make it worse. I don't think you can pinpoint one play and say that was definitely the mistake that cost us. What about the numerous others?
Again, though, I do like the idea of a chip that either breaks the plane of the endzone or doesn't. I don't see how that isn't an obvious option.