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Re: [amibroker] TC2000/TCNet/TC2005 and QP



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Hi Bob,
 
It's been a while since we've exchanged many thoughts, I hope you are well.  What keeps you going back to QP?
 
Actually I've had both for years, along with multiple RT feeds as well.  I'm sort of a belt and suspenders trader - most everything is backed up or has an alternative (computers, data feeds, brokerages, broadband and ISPs, even power with a generator system as I live in the country).  IMHO, they complement each other -- each with different strengths and weaknesses.  I'll try to summarize both.
 
The Pros:
 
QP has more fundamental fields exposed to AB in their API -- I particularly like having float info (I still use a variant of the Rich E's old PTATR for one exploration).  And at least until recently (I mark it more or less with Janene's departure), the stock data had fewer errors and when it did was corrected quicker.  Originally it ran much faster in AB and as I first started with it, I had a predisposition for it's scanning capability. If you use mutuals (I don't for timing or otherwise), they are included with in a subscription.   
 
TC has intraday updates (I run several boxes while trading) albeit delayed, so I if I wish, I can then quickly run AB AAs on an entire database, not the several hundred at a time from eSignal.  And they have their media general groups (like the industry monitors in QP), but listed within the sector so relative strength comparisons are much easier than building and maintaining composites. 
 
The Cons:
 
The QP data base (as I seem to recall you also complaining) is far from clean -- I update my AB databases from the external ones each weekend and then clean up inactive tickers -- QP generally has hundreds whereas TC has a dozen or so.  I've spoken often to tech support at QP about this, and the are always "surprised" by the number (I've sent them lists) and promise to look into it, but nothing changes and a new disk (with a current database) doesn't change the bad tickers.  [In fact I spoke to them today again.]   And while I don't use mutuals funds, I understand that they often fail to account for distributions and dividends promptly. 
 
When there is a data problem with TC, they can take weeks to correct it.  The program itself is something of a kludge of you are into writing your own indicators, and of course you have to deal with the idiosyncrasies of the Wordens (like, no ADX until just recently because they didn't think it had merit, still no CCI, ATR, etc.).  True, with the most recent versions your can write your own custom indicators, but ADX is not one of them and ATR is impossibly long (over 30 steps for an ATR(10) ).  And while there is some additional fundamental info in their database, it isn't available via the API.  Mutual funds are an added subscription cost.
 
The upshot:
 
I'm in my 5th year with AB and long ago came to regard both TC and QP as merely end of day data feeds for AB.  If I could find another data vendor that had the strengths of each, and perhaps not the weaknesses, I'd switch and probably quit.  I run my end of day scans/exploration for watchlists on these databases (also verify data integrity between the two), but for trading I'm watching the RT data feeds - eSig, QuoteTracker fed by Prophet Finance, PCQuote, and brokerage streamers.  I had IQ feed for a while but found it was too dirty and erratic.  With the merger of Waterhouse and Ameritrade, I'll probably close one account and open an IB account (when Ameritrade got Datek, my account there got big enough and  I added eTrade).  With whom are you trading, any thoughts or recommendations? 
 
Best  wishes, and good trades.
 
Peace and Justice   ---   Patrick
----- Original Message -----
From: Bob Jagow
Sent: Friday, June 24, 2005 7:41 PM
Subject: RE: [amibroker] Re: New, fixed TC2000/TCNet/TC2005 data plugin

I didn’t realize that you used TC2000x, Patrick.

 

Since I’ve tried it a few times, but always went back to QPlus, could you spell out why you picked it, given that you also have a RT feed?

 

Regards,

Bob



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