BullCharts Trial

[GreatPig]

I take a look at FCharts this morning and download it.

I find it quite good for basic chart viewing, but the free version has rather limited facilities - only a few indicators and things.

Which sit do you used for your free DATA?

http://www.float.com.au

what is your rating for the data that you download?

You mean quality?

Seems to be okay, although I don't think the historical data has been corrected for splits, etc. A few stocks have big cliffs in them which I don't think are natural price falls.

Their historical data goes back to 1997.

Cheers,
GP

 

[JetDollars]

Thanks GP. I will be trialling FCharts in the near future.

GP, I am currently still using my pentium 3, 650mhz, 128ram, do you think it's worth it for BullCharts 14 days trial? I am thinking it's to be way too slow comparing to your PC or Laptop.

 

[GreatPig]

I am currently still using my pentium 3, 650mhz, 128ram, do you think it's worth it for BullCharts 14 days trial?

Sorry, JetDollars, I missed your message here.

The minimum PC spec for running BullCharts is a 900MHz P4 with 256MB of RAM. Plus you need either Win2K or XP, as I don't think the .NET platform runs on other OS's.

I got the laptop and installed BullCharts (on XP) but it is just the same. Regular freezes when changing charts or whatever and enormous amounts of CPU time. As before, just moving the mouse around the screen can jump the program's CPU time to figures like 30% or more, and when the program freezes while changing charts for example, the CPU time jumps to around 99% for most of that time.

So I've canned that program and bought AmiBroker instead. Just got the registration key this morning. It's much cheaper (US$129) and seems to be pretty good for general charting and stuff. It lacks the online features of BullCharts, like live market depth and news, but there are a few real time features available with the more expensive package (US$199). Not sure exactly what though.

And of course if I eventually find this lacks some useful features, I can always look at buying other software as well. I gather some of the professional traders use multiple packages to get the best features of each.

Anyway, I'll see how I go with this.

Cheers,
GP

 

[WaySolid]

The minimum PC spec for running BullCharts is a 900MHz P4 with 256MB of RAM. Plus you need either Win2K or XP, as I don't think the .NET platform runs on other OS's.

Great Pig.

Wow. I have the CD trial ready to install, and was intending to trial it. Seeing as I have an Athlon 600, with 192 Ram (the older Ram as well) I'm not sure if I should even bother now

 

[GreatPig]

WaySolid,

Looking at their specs again, I notice they don't actually say "P4", and they're also "recommended requirements", not minimum specs. So it will probably still work on your computer (provided it's using Win2K or XP).

They actually say:

Recommended Requirements:

- CPU 900MHz or greater
- MS Windows 2000 Pro or XP
- 256MB RAM or greater
- 550MB free hard disk space
- Cable or broadband Internet connection
- Accelerator video card
- MS IE6.0 or greater

But it should say that on the sheet you would presumably have gotten with the CD.

Cheers,
GP

 

[JetDollars]

GreatPig,

Thank you for your info. I guess I have to buy a new PC soon. I got this old PC since 2000 so it's time to update my PC.

Now I am thinking a laptop instead, but as you described above BullCharts need internet connection, so no point of having it, but I might give it a trial for 14 days to see it for myself.

Thanks once again.

 

[GreatPig]

I had a call from the Weblink guy about my BullCharts trial and told him about the speed problems I'd been having. While acknowledging that the program can be heavy on resources, being a .NET application, he stated that my experience is atypical of their users - at this stage for reasons uncertain.

One thing that did come to light is that they distribute the product with a copy of the version 1.0 .NET platform but I upgraded mine to version 1.1 from Windows Update. He says there are known issues with this version which might be causing my problems. I'm now going to uninstall version 1.1 and reinstall version 1.0 to see if it makes any difference.

So if you're going to do the trial, don't upgrade your .NET platform to version 1.1. Stick with version 1.0.

Cheers,
GP

 

[JetDollars]

GreatPig,

I got the CD today and will install it when I have sometime. I don't want to install it now because if time limited. Maybe I will install it this saturday and I will give you an update once I get it up and running.

 

[still_in_school]

Hey Guys,

in all honestly, i find that e*trades interactive charts, is more than sufficient, in the trading... i do, honestly, you only need a few indicators, to be able to draw some quick trendlines up, be able to save it or print, but also having the option to email it, but also that e*trade interactive charts, maybe not live streaming, but if you hit the refresh button, you will get live data of how the market is, in that particular moment and second, on that day...

for the live intraday charts, best and easier to use, there trading platforms, as they are live streaming, and have the option, to add in some indicators, but mainly giving you the price display, in OHLC, OHL, line, candle, and so on... and with only 10 trades a month, the platform, will cost you nothing in using it.

Cheers,
sis

 

[GreatPig]

Spent a fair amount of time again today (oops... I mean yesterday now ;D) looking at BullCharts again. I did the uninstall and reinstall of the .NET platform, only installing version 1.0 this time.

On my desktop PC running Win2K, I immediately had problems with BullCharts running slow again. On the notebook running XP, I had one lockup when first starting BullCharts after reinstalling the .NET platform, but then it ran fine for the rest of the day. During that time, switching charts was acceptably fast. However, in the early evening it started to run slow again with lock-ups lasting between 5 and 40 seconds when changing charts, and using 99% CPU time while frozen. Once it started doing it, it then did it all the time, even after restarting the program and even rebooting the PC. It is still doing it.

So I've sent a summary of my findings to the guy at Weblink, along with a few screen captures showing the program obviously locked up.

And that's it for me. I'd be interested to hear how anyone else got on with the program.

Cheers,
GP

 

[JetDollars]

GreatPig,

I just install BullCharts on my machine and here are my finding:

First of all I want to remind you that I am using Pentium 3, 650MHz, 128Mb RAM, XP. If you compare my PC to your is not where near it.

OK, here we go:
1. I got no problem what so ever installing BullCharts, it go very smoothly. Thumb up for me.

2. Once BullCharts installed I start to play around with chart and yes it take about 7 to 15 seconds to loan each chart. So instead of connecting to the BullSystems every time I want to look at different stock I do the followings

3. I start download the latest EOD data for BullSystems, it take a while because I have to update a bit more than 2 weeks data.

4. Once the download complete I disconnect BullCharts from the server before start using the chart. Since it's now working offline, it is extremely fast. It take line 2-3 seconds to load each stock chart.

5. The good things about bullcharts that I just found is that it provide high, low, close moving averages price, so I don't have to code it.

So, overall performance is a thumb up for me. I enjoy using BullCharts than IncredibleCharts.

By do what I wrote above you therefore can check and play around with chart on the train without having to connect to BullSystems Server.

Therefore, your finding and my finding is completely of different opinions.

I will continue using BullChart for the next 2 weeks and give an update here.

 

[GreatPig]

JetDollars,

Thanks for the feedback.

I got no problem what so ever installing BullCharts

I didn't on the XP notebook either, only on the Win2K machine.

Since it's now working offline, it is extremely fast. It take line 2-3 seconds to load each stock chart.

Yes it is faster when completely offline. 2-3 seconds is still pretty slow though. Chart display in AmiBroker is instantaneous.

The good things about bullcharts that I just found is that it provide high, low, close moving averages price, so I don't have to code it.

They have a lot of built-in indicators, which makes it pretty easy. However, I found it a problem that I couldn't easily hide and restore them, only delete and reinsert them. When I want to study price patterns, I don't like the chart cluttered with MAs and PSARs, and want to hide them. FCharts was easy in that respect with a right-click menu option to hide and show the MAs.

I'll be interested to see how it's going after you've been using it for a few days.

Cheers,
GP

 

[JetDollars]

GreatPig,

1. Is there a trial version for AmiBroker? I also want to trial like BullCharts.

2. How much does it cost for the software?
3. EOD data cost?

 

[GreatPig]

JetDollars,

You can trial the full AmiBroker software by downloading it from their Website. The unregistered version won't allow the database to be saved though, so you can import all the data files and play with the charts, but you can't save any of it.

They have two versions, the basic version for US$129 and the full version for US$199. The latter has extra stuff mainly for real-time trading. I bought the basic one.

The program can read all sorts of data formats, and in fact you can design your own if you need to. I just read in the free EOD data I download from float.com.au, but I gather it also works with a few live data services if you want that.

So far it been going good and I like it.

They're at http://www.amibroker.com/.

Cheers,
GP

 

[JetDollars]

Thanks GreatPig

I will look into it and will give it a trial in the near future.

Eventhough I like BullCharts at this stage. I found it quite expensive just to purchase the software ie. $795. But it EOD data at $352 per annum is quite reasonable.

 

[JetDollars]

GreatPig,

OK, I now also give up on BullCharts. It work fine if you work offline as I mention in the previous posted, but that not what I always want to do and that's not the purpose of spending $795 just to go offline.

It take too long to start BullCharts and it locked up most of the applications that are open. So it is quite annoying because I have to sit there and wait for the application finally open.

It take too long to load your existing portfolio and yes while I am typing BullCharts still loading my portfolio and it's over 3  minutes already.

In short, as soon as you go online, it take too long for everythings that's including getting the latest news and so for.

Conclusion, give up, but will trial again if I buy a new laptop in the future.

My trial so far, the cheapest the better it is like FCharts, IncredibleCharts.

My next trial will be AmiBroker....

 

[still_in_school]

Hi Guys,

honestly, what etrade and comsec offer, is more than essential, the only problem is you have to be online...

Cheers,
sis

 

[JetDollars]

Hi Guys,

honestly, what etrade and comsec offer, is more than essential, the only problem is you have to be online...

Cheers,
sis

SIS,

You can draw trenline in ComSec and the indicators is limited. Can you get Moving Average for highest or lowest price? No because comsec only give MA for closing price.

Jet$