MetaStock, Tradestation & Marketcentre?

[clylbw]

Hi,

Maybe it is not an appropriate question, but I indeed wonder which is the best, MetaStock, Tradestation or Marketcentre, especially after reading some threads here.

I have been to all the relevant websites, and impressed by Tradestation most. Metastock RT seems so expensive to me...(MetaStock Pro 8.0 for eSignal $1695.00, MetaStock Pro 8.0 for QCharts $1695.00, QCharts MetaStock Pro Subscription $199.00 / mo) I suppose it has very distinguished features (but I failed to find out!!!)?

I need a system for US stock and future RT data, and there should be RT information about detailed quotes in bid/ask, and about time and scale such as bid, best bid, ask, best ask and last. I have been unable to find out whether any of the three offers such information.

So, what do you think? Thanks a lot!!! :cheesy:

 

[Skimbleshanks]

I need a system for US stock and future RT data, and there should be RT information about detailed quotes in bid/ask, and about time and scale such as bid, best bid, ask, best ask and last. I have been unable to find out whether any of the three offers such information.

I use Qcharts, and all this is contained in that program. You are suggesting running MetaStock on top of Qcharts, so you might want to see if Qcharts does the business for you in which case this will be a cheaper option as you won't need MetaStock. If you want fancy indicators, and bells and whistles, then you will need MetaStock as Qcharts has the more popular ones only, about 20 of them. But the charts are lovely, and easy on the eye which is why I use them.

Qcharts is paid for monthly, so if you don't like it you only have to splash out on one month's subscription.

Software is very personal, and you may need to try a few to find which suits you best.

Have you thought about seeing if anyone near you runs the programs you're interested in, so that you can pop round and see the software in use? Just a thought.

 

[Chuck_T]

Third Party Software

clylbw,

eSignal supports many third party software packages. Both Tradestation TS2000i and Metastock. We also have our own software eSignal that can run with these software packages.

Next week we will begin beta testing a free ActiveX plug in for TS2000i users to load tick and history data from eSignal. We have a global datafeed with 75 exchanges and we wanted to be sure all TS2000i users had the full benefit of the eSignal datafeed.

For more information, come visit us at:

http://forum.esignalcentral.com/

Chuck

 

[clylbw]

Skimbleshanks, thanks a lot.

I currently use LiveCharts, because it gives me the bid/ask information I need. I am interested in QCharts, but it does not seem appropriate to me now since I do not need Level II data yet.

But it really annoys me that LiveCharts does allows me to use one indicator each time. Another shortcoming is I cannot store the formats of charts and the indicator I want. Each time I open it, I have to adjust them again.

So I wonder whether there is a package which offers the bid/ask information without the short points of LiveCharts. Thanks.

 

[clylbw]

Chuck, thanks for the information.

Can you please tell me whether eSignal or Marketcentre includes the bid/ask information I need? If not, are them compatible with LiveCharts or QCharts?

Can you also explain briefly the difference between eSignal and Marketcentre? Sorry I cannot figure it out.

Many thanks.

 

[Helenqu]

Both of them include bid/ask. The full e-signal product allows mutiple charts and more complex indicator set ups also tick charts and P&F.
MC maintains it's indicator setting across all charts.
I'd try the MC demo if I were you, it's free bar any exchange fees you want to add.

HTH

 

[Skimbleshanks]

clylbw - all the shortcomings you've mentioned with LiveCharts are solved by using Qcharts.

LiveCharts is the entry level for real-time, and as it is cheap and cheerful it has its limitations, as you've summarised. Qcharts is LiveCharts on steroids, with so much more flexibility.

However, yesterday I was speaking with someone who was a great fan of Qcharts and its lovely charts (it's the one thing that all Qcharts users love), but for a very specific reason needed to change to eSignal. After an awful lot of effort, enquiries to technical support, etc, he has been able to emulate almost as well the niceness of the charts.