Review: Tradestation 7.x

I started to write a review for TS 7.x and realized that it had gotten way too large. So, I just started this thread so I can attach the review and then reference it in the Software Review Section. See attachment - it's six pages (yeah, like I said, I got a little carried away). It was something fun to do on Sunday afternoon - I didn't realize how many opinions I had but I guess when you've used something for a while, you're bound to accumulate them!

-eLindy

 

I got a bunch of emails with corrections and suggestions so I took another pass at this (some days it's just better to not be trading - for me, today was one of them).

The document has been uploaded in "revision marking mode" or "track changes mode". This means you can see all the changes from the original highlighted in red. There may be one or two small changes that aren't because I thought of this idea just after I started and had made a few grammatical corrections.
Anyway, if you would like to see a clean copy without all the static then, in MSWord-XP, simply select "Track Changes" from the Tools Menu then select "Final" from the "Reviewing/Track Changes" toolbar that shows up.

-eLindy

 

2 questions:

1. Do you know if E-Signal or QCharts support multi-monitor set-ups? I've been using TS for years and I would love to be able to open other Workspaces and display them on my other monitors!

2. I agree that TS data can lag actual real-time data (I posted this several days ago on another thread).
Is E-Signal faster?? QCharts?? Have you ever compared them side by side??

Thanks again.

dog

(I actually have not upgraded to TS7 yet. The combination of a new baby and the fact that I'd prefer to wait for the bugs to be worked out has kept me from upgrading).

 

Qcharts 4.3 (which I use as my backup datafeed but looking to change) needs to be stretched across the monitors just like TS. There may be a way to float the windows but i haven't found it.

I don't know the answer for E-signal - I haven't used that in a while but last time I did, I could stretch it across multiple monitors but I couldn't float the windows. I'm sure there's someone from E-signal that can give you a definitive answer.

I've compared them side-by-side only to the extent that I have used them in the past and, in the case of QCharts, use it on a day-to-day basis as a backup datafeed to compare to the TS datafeed. I passed on e-signal because, for a backup datafeed, it was too expensive but I may reevaluate it because I believe both QCharts and TS 7.0 uses the Comstock datafeed and I don't want to rely on that single point of failure.

Sorry I couldn't be more specific.

-eLindy

 

We just released last night the solution to handling multiple monitors - it is pop-out windows! Now you can easily run eSignal with multiple monitors.

Its the best of both worlds - windows can be in the program frame or pop out and float. Can be placed anywhere on your multiple monitor desktop.

Very cool feature - have never seen it in any other program. Click the pop-out link:

http://www.esignal.com/esignal/features/default.asp

Chuck

 

real-time data -- where does it come from for:

a. stocks/indices?

b. futures (I assume CME)?

Also, an honest answer on how the speed of your real-time data compares to TS would be appreciated.

... if the real-time data is faster (or at least as fast) as TS, I may switch. I like the idea of the pop-out windows. I hate stretching my TS Workstations across all my monitors!!

Thanks!

dog

 

There oughta be a law against Tradestation advertising 20 years of intraday futures data for the past several months and not having it available. They always reply "soon".

And I keep telling them I'll become a customer "soon".

 

GreenDog,

Our data comes direct from the exchanges for domestic US stock and futures exchanges into our own ticker plants.

Regarding the speed comparison, we are one of the fastest on the market. I encourage you to take a test drive of eSignal using our free trial, and compare us to Tradestation side-by-side. I'm certain you will see there's a very good reason Stocks & Commodities Magazine has voted us the #1 data provider for 11 years running.

 

The main Qcharts window frame can be stretched across multiple monitors. If you want independent placement of windows but still use the Qcharts feed, you need a third party program like Trade Prospector which can decouple its windows from the main window frame and use multiple workspace pages.