If memory serves I started using Ensign just over 2 years ago. I monitor 100 symbols on quote pages. At most though I'm going to have open perhaps 5 charts at any one time. I do open and close charts throughout the day. I'm running 1 Gig memory at this time. No problems doing what I do. Doesn't sound like we use the software in the same way. I would not have a need for 130 charts open simultaneously. That said, for more normal usage, I think Ensign is good software. I haven't had the problems you described (of course it's now understandable why), and have had no issues with support at all. Either way, he can do a 1 week trial at no cost. Test it for himself. Sorry for the preconceived notions. You were describing a situation which didn't sound right based on my experience. Sounds like things must have started to change around the time you left and I started. They do updates probably a couple of times per month or so. OldTrader
Ensign has 1 day, 2 day, 1 week, 2 weeks, 1 month, 2 months, maximum, 1 day DTN backfill (every tick) and 100,000 ticks backfill. This is included in the package. Have no idea what you get when you use eSignal as your data/backfill source.
the thing that is confusing me I think is this term "refresh". My understanding of this term is from second tier "non-streaming" platforms whre you have to manually click to have your charts/data update. Obviously none of us want this, we are used to the data updating itself directly from the servers, which is proper streaming data. The idea of "refresh" has no applicability here and it is perhaps confusing the issue. Also, on www.ensignsoftware.com I can find no information concerning a trial, one week or otherwise. What I would need is a fully functional trial, ie using my esignal data feed... I am going to trial multicharts but it sounds a little beta-ish to me, like all the functions I expect to have are "coming soon".
Every once in awhile Ensign has a 2 week trial. You might want to ask to see if you can get one. You do not have to manually click anything to have your charts "refreshed". You can have it set to do it automatically. When you open up a new symbol, it fills in the historical data by itself. The trial is 100% fully functional.
It may have changed but I think you can get a 2 week trial any time. "Time" charts can be configured to auto refresh, tick, constant volume and range bar charts have to be manually refreshed. A task that requires two key strokes. Everyone's experience with customer support, at any firm for that matter, will be different. Different issues, different people on the other end of the phone even different perceptions of what's "good" or "bad". My first experience with ensign was when I decided to try their trial one weekend. I downloaded/installed but had some questions which I emailed to them. I got a response two hours later - on a Saturday. I've sent emails to my broker before that never got responded to - ever. I don't know that you would get a response on Saturday consistently and it is just one incidence, but I couldn't help but be impressed.
I was trying to get the info on the manually refreshing of tick, vol, and range bars in my post but forgot. The two keystrokes to backfill tick, vol or range charts has to be done for each symbol though... Painstaking task if you have a lot of symbols...
This is what I thought. They haven't created an auto refresh for tick or volume charts. You are correct. The more symbols the more aggravating the process.