For futures trading, I use IB and eSignal. I here that MBT is also a very good broker for futures. chipper338
This is subpar for many reasons: 1) DTN satellite lags the IB feed by about 1 second. That means that if you used a broker like IB for data, and executed using FFastFill, you would likely save yourself $12.50 per side because you can act on faster data. 2) TradeStation is buggy. You say that you have hears horror stories about IB, but if you are using TS2Ki, then I have horror stories for you. If you are using the newer TS, >7.x, then you are using TS's datfeed and everyone knows that until very recently, their emini quotes STANK. I do not know if they have updated their lines yet and are getting direct quotes from the MERC... 3) I like FFastfill very much and I am in constant contact with Susan Cloud, basically getting on my kness begging her to get an API. If it were up to her, it would have been done yesterday. But anyway, since you are with FFastFill, your trades are being executed by "hand." If you notice the original posters question, he mention that he wants to eventually have his system automatically executed. nitro
Nitro you are wrong on points 1 and 2 just plain wrong. FFastfill has data on their depth of market window and if there is any lag from ffastfill and dtn its a micro second. Trade station 2000i is still the best evaluation software out there for back testing. but I will give you one thing, Ts7 and their data feed absolutely stinks. would never use it. I'm always open to new trading software to trade the emini s&p but there is NOTHING to replace 2000i for mechanical trading and back testing. I also would love to have FFastfill get a API. as far as saving 12.50, 90% of my orders are limit orders and stop/limit orders so a split second wouldn't matter. and as far as I know, i can't use the IB data feed with tradestation 2001.
Hi Pat, That used to be true, but now there is Wealth Lab Developer (WLD). It is currently about equally as good as TS2000i. With TS2000i getting no attention from Tradestation anymore but Wealth Lab continuing to improve WLD, I'm expecting WLD to be better than TS2000i soon. I hope WLD keeps getting better â it's off to a good start. I've suggested to FfastFill that they write an interface from Wealth Lab to their platform. I think the investment of their time to do this would pay off nicely in added commission income.
Ok, well, I cannot prove this to you, but I would bet you that we sat next to each other, IB on one side, and your DTN _satellite_ datafeed on the other, you are looking at quotes that are behind by about a second. It is not even close, but look, you don't need to convince me if you are happy with it. Continue... Well, like I said, if it works for you, continue. For me, it is not even close to working. Yeah, sigh. That is the _only_ thing that I wish they would improve on. Yeah, I gathered that when you told me your setup. I am not putting it down mind you. I am just saying that if speed is of importance to you, then your setup is ok, but it is far from optimal _for_me_. BTW, I own TS2Ki. I use it to run some ideas quickly. But I would never use it for real time _automated_ trading. Yes you can: http://www.dynastoresoftware.com/IB/ nitro
I am planning to use TS2000i to start off with. Since I am new to trading futures on a systematic basis, I am planning to start off with trading a system which gives me signals on a day by day basis to start off with. I am planning to carry positions overnight. Once the systems for a longer time frame work I will fine tune (make new systems) for shorter time frames. I have been an option market maker before and I wanted to do the automatic trading so I don't have to watch my system all the time, but I am still sceptical about this. It is not of major importance at this point in time for me. What is important for me is the reliability of the data. I still wonder if IB provides reliable data, I have been told the data of Esignal is really good so this might be worth the money. confused: David