TradeStation Securities announces new commissions

no outages today...

a few weeks ago, they had a problem with a server or some servers (I never did nail it down), resulting in some relatively extended downtime - 30 important end-of-day minutes, plus additional hiccups over subsequent days, but for the most part (there are still occasional, easily handled, brief chart-updating problems that don't affect L2 quotes), the datafeed and other aspects of the technical performance have been solid ever since they addressed some early problems with the initial rollout... more dependable than Cyber and E-Signal were when I had them... though that was a long time ago on E-Signal...

because my (very infrequent) experience with live TS brokers has been iffy - a little slow, phone tie-ups during the above-mentioned episode - I put worst-case scenario stop orders in the system (they go to Herzog directly or to the specialist on NYSE stocks), almost always, definitely when I'm extended at all. I think this is probably a good policy with any OLB that takes stops.
 
Kymar on Stop loss orders at TS

Does TS allow order entry for Stops to be sent beyond your computer to their end before price gets to stop?

On PT they just sit on my end and don't get sent until the stop point has been reached . So if your connection goes down, the stops never get sent. A not so good situation.
 
I understand why you'd want to be absolutely sure!

I meant exactly what I wrote - and double-checked before posting to be sure nothing's changed: When you place the stop order it immediately goes out to Herzog (Nasdaq) or to the specialist (NYSE) and sits in their systems until and unless you cancel (pretty near instantaneous, btw, for the Herzog orders, most of the time; I so seldom trade NYSE stocks I've never checked). The order should be processed regardless of what happens to your computer. Indeed, I have had such orders processed while my internet connection crashed.

Now if Herzog and/or the NYSE goes down... that wouldn't be so good...
 
Been taking a hard look at Tradestation 6 , vs Cybertrader.

While TS is a very powerful charting and system testing platform, I'm leery of it's usefulness as a replacement Cybertrader, al least at this point.

If they want to compete with Cyber/RealTick, they will need to add many more realtime scanning features, in addition to the chart linking, and hotkeys. Also, the trading is not integrated into the Level 2 box.

I'm used to seeing a lot of information on Cyber that isn't available here. If TS wants to compete for true daytraders, they will have to step up the intraday scanning (realtime high/low, etc).

They have a real nice product here, but for intraday scalping/momentum trading it's problematic.

What do you current TS users think?
 
"If they want to compete with Cyber/RealTick, they will need to add many more realtime scanning features, in addition to the chart linking, and hotkeys."

Though I'm a TS client and a junkie for the software, I agree that, at least until the promised TS upgrade(s) is(are) released, Cyber and RT will remain superior in these (and some other) regards, though, as others and I have stated on this thread and elsewhere (such as the TS and multi-monitor thread), there ARE workarounds of various types (such as setting up fully laid-out workspaces ahead of time, using EasyLanguage-based signals, etc.). Also, though other aspects of the TS set-up (not just the commission structure) may make the effort worthwhile for some traders, I think that many individuals who are used to RT or Cyber would experience fairly substantial difficulty and even frustration in attempting a transition. Others may very well find it kind of fun... (Trying a new platform can help you shake up old habits and perspectives...)

"Also, the trading is not integrated into the Level 2 box."

Actually, you can initiate order entries from the L2 box, though the process remains inferior to those built into Cyber and RT.

"Noticed another thing, you can't have intraday charts automatically scale to the full day, (unless I'm missing something)."

I think you may, as you say, be "missing something": Intraday charts can be set up to scale to whatever desired time-span (within limits determined by window size/bar-spacing), and can be easily adjusted either through buttons or drop-down menus.

"They have a real nice product here, but for intraday scalping/momentum trading it's problematic."

For scalping and momentum trading as I think you're defining them, I agree that Cyber and RT may still be better for many individuals. Still, there are aspects of the full TS set-up that can be utilized to unique advantage even within that arena, and the new commission structure opens up another set of possibilities and synergies. For analysis, for creation, manipulation, and testing of custom indicators and signals, and for automated and semi-automated trading, I don't think there's presently much competition, at least among ready-to-go all-in-one packages.
 
Originally posted by Kymar
For scalping and momentum trading as I think you're defining them, I agree that Cyber and RT may still be better for many individuals.
More...

Originally posted by stock777
They have a real nice product here, but for intraday scalping/momentum trading it's problematic.
More...

You guys are missing the boat IMO. Cyber and Realtick are about the worst (from an execution perspective) for scalping/momentum trading. THey simply cannot compare to the Scalping platforms with cents/share pricing.

I still use Realtick for my charts and scanns etc., and getting a stock that I want to trade into my Point Direx Level 2 box for executing the trade takes about 1/4 second....and besides I have already done that at least a minute or two before I actually pull the trigger.
 
Originally posted by Kymar
I think you may, as you say, be "missing something": Intraday charts can be set up to scale to whatever desired time-span (within limits determined by window size/bar-spacing), and can be easily adjusted either through buttons or drop-down menus.
More...


Funny, I edited that out of my post maybe 5 minutes after I originally posted. You must have read it and responded an hour later? :p

Realized you could hotkey the 'width' of the bars, but it still isn't automatically scaled as the day wears on as in Cybertrader.

As for scalping, I've been scalping a few key stocks using IB of all things, and find that being able to set up the buy/sell with routes and prices simultaneously an advantage. I have not done so, but can't you set up hot keys on Cyber to buy/sell at current price or market with one keystroke? How is 'Watcher' or other scalping platform any different than that?
 
"Funny, I edited that out of my post maybe 5 minutes after I originally posted. You must have read it and responded an hour later?"

Something like that - went to the post, had it on my screen, never refreshed while paging back to it for reference...

Not really sure what you get out of having a window automatically scale to one day's and only one day's worth of data... Whatever...

The discussion gets a little confused when people use terms that have different meanings to different users. My main point is just that different platforms will suit different styles and different individuals - fairly obvious I guess. Since no platform or broker offers the best or even "at least the second best" in every category, most people are going to pick according to whatever they think is most important, or stick to whatever they're used to, and many if not all are sooner or later going to end up adapting their styles to the platform (whether all-in-one or side-by-side), even though the opposite relationship might seem ideal.
 
I agree, there's a tendancy to fit your style to the features of the platform (by necessity?).

I like to see where a stock has traded today, from premarket to current. Keeping a 1 minute bar up (you can look back more than 1 day if you are so inclined) gives me that information. The advantage in having it automatically scale as the day goes on, is that you get more detail in the chart early.

Also, I see that clicking on a L2 box and price DOES enter the data into the order boxes.
 
Does anybody trade futures with TS6 ?
Can I trade DAX futures with TS6? What commission rates are for Eurex futures?

How does trading automation works? Is it reliable?
Thanx
DT-waw
 
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