Thanks for the reply. I agree with everything you said. I have been using esignal and its different programs for 15+ years. I didn't think anything could replace it, looks like AB would be close but it isn't geared to real time like esignal is. I also have a backup with my broker. It isn't so much the cost but the duplication of services.
--- In [email protected], "scourt2000" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > From a cost perspective, I think the best deal out there right now > for a real-time trading platform is TradeStation. They require > nominal amounts of either options/futures contracts or shares trade > per month to have the $99 platform fee waived. > > Amibroker has the superior backtesting capability while TradeStation > has an enormous database of intraday data that you can import into > Amibroker. So, that would be a good combination to have if there's > not something compelling in Amibroker's real-time features that > TradeStation already does. Use TradeStation for real-time trading > and Amibroker for offline research with TradeStation's data. Of > course, the catch is that you have to trade through their brokerage > firm but their commissions are are still reasonable in relation to > Interactive Brokers. > > Right now, I use eSignal charting for real-time trading (stretched > across 5 19" LCD screens) and have Amibroker Pro for secondary > charting needs (much, much faster to develop my charting ideas with > AFL) and long-term intraday data storage. I'm probably a little > different in this group than most because I exclusively trade the e- > minis so I have no need to scan the markets intrday while many here > would because they trade stocks and want something behind the scense > looking for alerts/signals from a stock not currently on the trading > charts. > > I consider full-time trading a very low overhead business in > comparison to what the average small business has to pay just to > keep their doors open. I think that one's perception of what is > reasonable and what is not comes down to how monetarily successful > you currently are as a full-time trader. If you make 6 figures then > you wouldn't think twice about using eSignal if that's what makes > you feel more comfortable in trading. If you're making somewhere > between 30-50K U.S. per year, then $1200 vs. a one-time $229 for > Amibroker Pro is going to seem like oceans apart where Amibroker is > the obvious choice. > > Amibroker is getting better and better with each release. Tomasz > has put a tremendous effort and a lot of conscientious thought into > improving the real-time aspects of his product. As long as I am > trading, I will always be renewing my subscription to his updates. > > For me, it's a personal choice. In a real-time trading environment, > I just feel better and more efficient when using eSignal charting > over Amibroker and I like the way the eSignal charts look compared > to Amibroker even if I can do a lot of the same things in both > packages in similar ways. Some things aren't just about money. The > aesthetics put me in the right frame of mind about the tools I'm > using and that's an intangible aspect that is also important to me. > > Eventually, I will add TradeStation to the mix on a separate > computer for just the cost of monthly exchange fees. > > I don't think anyone can go wrong using eSignal for just the > datafeed and Amibroker as the charting package. It's certainly > powerful enough to get the job done. I was just mentioning > TradeStation as another alternative because that platform is also > solid and free for all intents and purposes. > > The end result is the same...you need Amibroker Pro in your tradign > toolbox whether you trade real-time with it or not. > Please note that this group is for discussion between users only. To get support from AmiBroker please send an e-mail directly to SUPPORT {at} amibroker.com For other support material please check also: http://www.amibroker.com/support.html Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/amibroker/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
