I have posted this elsewhere -- X-Trader vs CQG -- but think I might get a reliable suggestion here. It's a bit long but I want to adequately describe my needs.
------------------------------------------
I am a new, marginally profitable trader using NQ's $5 tick to learn to swing intraday. I use X-Trader, pay a high per contract surcharge -- costs me under $100 monthly at current low volume -- and am restricted to CME.
About nine minutes into my paper trading a year ago I realized X had a charting capability that was, to be kind, sub par. To their credit when I called to ask if I was using it wrong they told me most of their clients used separate charting packages from other vendors.
I put up Sierra Charts with Barchart Data on the screen and it was surely adequate for someone at my level at that time.
Since NQ moves slowly compared to ES I am able to watch Sierra's Time and Sales through the session. While calling me a tape (or T&S) reader would be like comparing a high school ball player with a Super Star, I am surprised by what I see and how it has helped when me when one particular "quirk" happens. Not often but just often enough that if I can find one or two other quirks that are as reliable I will be very pleased. A bit of observation has shown me the quirl exists in ES and E6 as well. Remember, what appears as a startling revelation to me may well be just how every pro knows it works.
The Time and Sales I see on X with TT's feed is sometimes faster than Sierra but I can't use it because at times they seem to aggregate trades.
Sierra gives me Time and Sales cleaner but not as fast as I would like. The only other option that Sierra offers me that might work is the DTN feed. It is a bit more coin than Barcharts but not so much more that I would bother to even think about it -- IF IT SOLVES THE PROBLEM.
Sierra's charts work for me unless they are the T&S problem not the feed. I pay them month to month and I'm not married to them. I'm not yet ready take CQG's comprehensive solution. With only one exchange fee to pay their $600 bite is way to big for me at this stage. The truth is I am already the guy with the two piece cue who is not sure which end to use. Can't stand working with bad tools so I am ready to consider any charting data configuration that costs me up to about $200 monthly including the $55 CME data charge. Right now my cost for data and charting is under $130 monthly and, of course, no monthly hit for X-Trader.
Please don't tell me to go to IB or Ameritrade or wherever. I am only willing to change the data provider and/or charting packages.
Comments, ideas and/or suggestions?