Tradestation: The good, the bad or the ugly?

[bullrider 10]

Anyone here use or have any comments on RML ? I'm thinking about setting up an

additional account and they are under consideration. I use QT for my charting and

they are compatible. Not really into the trading software programs since I don' t really day trade or scalp.Just good charting capabilities.

I'm a big Suri Duddella fan, and even though I believe he uses TS, I don't really care for it.

 

Thanks.

[Tasuki 10]

Folks, I just tried to use Tradestation's new matrix with its long-awaited sim-trading. My advice--don't touch it with a ten foot pole. Reasons:

1) the buttons for buy/sell/OSO/OCO work SOMETIMES. Obviously unacceptable. Twice I was in a trade and clicked the "sell market" button, and it just failed to work. I was on the phone at the time with Tradestation tech support, and they couldn't provide any explanation. Actually, I think I can---Tradestation has overbuilt the matrix, and the coding for it is antiquated and convoluted, making it prone to errors.

2) The OSO function failed to work one time out of three. Obviously unacceptable.

3) The Trademanager window turned strange colors for no reason. At one point, the entire window turned magenta. TS tech help could not explain. Their only answer was to say that the window had become corrupted and told me to delete that window and create a fresh one. That was also their answer for the errors in the matrix.

4) This one is unbelievable, but it happened while I was talking to TS techs---the matrix put me in a live trade in the symbol SPY when I was supposed to be in "sim" mode and, unbelievably, I hadn't even touched the matrix. I think I've figured this one out as well---the new matrix is so slow that the instructions I was following from the TS techs were stored in the computer and executed several minutes later.

5) This brings me to another problem---the new matrix, with its sim feature, is so complex that it slows down your entire computer, even moreso that it did before. I've got a screaming fast computer, but admittedly I have several dozen charts in multiple workspaces. Prior to the new build, TS 8.3, build 1631, I noticed a tiny amount of slowing in very fast markets, but now the slowing has quadrupled. Actually, it's probably more like ten times slower.

 

Altogether, I recommend using Tradestation for charting, which is (IMHO) the best in the business, but I'd strongly recommend placing your trades elsewhere. Like so many people on TradersLab, I recommend Infinity brokerage and their Infinity AT platform. Fast, reliable, elegantly simple.

Edited April 23, 2008 by Tasuki
spelling

[jjthetrader 10]

Thank you for the update. A lot of folks are having TS problems lately. Seems their new builds are reaking havoc.

Older builds still work as well as they ever did. A lot of folks are still on 8.2 because of it.

[waveslider 10]

Newer release is evidently problematic, but I think your issue is sim-related, Tasuki..

 

I use OCO orders real time all day and they work as they should.. TS is as good as any unless you require something intricate.

[Jaronimo 10]

I use TS and have not had any problems at all. ( and I better not have just jinxed myself by stating that fact ) I have used the simulator, its seems to work great too. I cannot comment on how good the platform would be for scalping, I just don't need to trade that much with my edge. I looked back and the most trades I have ever done in a single day was 13. But I was trying something, so that accounted for more trades than usual.

 

I also do not trade all day. Usually from about 7:30am EST to about 11:30am. So I cannot comment on problems that may happen at lunch or near the close. I also trade in two separate accounts on different PCs and neither has had any issues. Maybe I am just lucky?

[Oli 10]

Hi,

some people have posted their experiences with their brokers in this post - very very nice!

 

Could I ask anyone who has an account at Velocity to tell me what their experience there is? I am thinking of swapping from IB because my current software set-up is simply stupid: data from esignal, charting and analysis with NeoTicker, order entry with NinjaTrader and account management with IB Trader Workstation - five core programs all running at once on two datafeeds... receipe for disaster.

 

I love the idea of ninja plus TT - so anyone who can tell me about Velocity, much appreciated!

[Blu-Ray 10]

Oli

 

You'd be better off starting a new thread enquiring about Velocity rather than sticking it a Tradestation thread that's a few months old, as anyone who doesn't have TS will just bypass this thread altogether.

 

Hope this helps

 

Blu-Ray

[duir 10]

Well, right today I´ve contacted TS to open an account, but after reading all this massages I think I better change my mind.

 

Could anyone please help me to find a good broker service for equities(stocks), not futures?

 

I´m looking for a very fast entry order broker, in order to scalp, and I need tools like the TS Matrix. Resuming: Any equity broker that offer fast order execution, data stability and a good trading tool like the TS Matrix.

 

Please help me.Thanks in advance.

[dre jansen 10]

Hi I took also a test month, it costed me 50 usd, for the needed datafeed and testaccount. I called them to quit, and they gave me a ticketnr, and an email with conformation to stop the accound. No complains. so far.. my card is not used twice.

[alex_laxya 10]

can i access trade station for charting only ? i am not interested in brokerage thing ( as i am from india and practically its not possible ) heard that its not user friendly most prominent problem is data feed from third party and i am talking about eod ... any help will be appreciated .. right now i use amibroker but its incapable of few option indicators i am working on .

Alex

[Tasuki 10]

Alex, you can use TS for charting only, as I do, but the files for trading will still be on your computer. Just don't open them (e.g. the Matrix). Just open chart windows and you'll be fine.

 

I don't believe TS will allow you to use data from a third party, unlike Amibroker which requires data from a third party. TS has its own data feed (which is a very good thing, IMHO---I've had nothing but problems trying to interface charting and data with Ami, Neo, and other charting packages). Much better to have the two "joined at the hip" so to speak (I'll bet that's a phrase you don't have in India).

 

Not exactly sure what help you need. Could you be more specific?

Taz

[link2randle 10]

I personally think Tradestation fees are outrageous, plus, the sim mode is always messing up. I basically use Tradestation for charting purposes and infinity to trade. Anyhow, my two cents...

[Tasuki 10]

I personally think Tradestation fees are outrageous, plus, the sim mode is always messing up. I basically use Tradestation for charting purposes and infinity to trade. Anyhow, my two cents...

 

link2randle, you can reduce those outrageous fees by placing a minimum number of trades with them per month. It's actually a good deal that way.

[nielsendk 10]

I use Tradestation and agree that the simulator hardly ever works, sometimes it does but when volume picks up, you can't exit a trade - or if you are flat, you can't enter. Sometimes if you want to exit at let's say 1000 at the ES, and you cant get out, the SIM will automatically exit when it works again, which could be 20 min later at the current price here, this seriously messes up your track record for the day

 

They are working to fix it, but so far no results. I use it for real trading for now and haven't experienced any problems in the live trade.

 

They do have the best charting out there and as Tasuki writes: 10 trades a month and the platform fee is waived.

 

I like Tradestation, but they need to fix the simulator.

[Betoken 10]

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