Slow Data inquiries

[daytraderpc]

Hello,

I have been experiencing data lag on the high volume pops and dips.

I know the data is lagging because my trading platform (on another computer) is fine.

The data lag is about 20-30 secs.

This is becoming very frustrating and annoying.

Please advise...PC



I have high speed cable.

Pentium 4 - 2.5ghz
1 gb ram
256mb predator pro 4 colorgraphics video
200gb hdd.

[ScottJ]

Please provide at least one specific symbol. We cover data from close to 100 Exchanges so when we see a report of lagging data, we have to start our research by looking at specific instruments.

Any other specific information would help as well. Does the lagging occur at certain times and is OK at other times? Are some symbols OK while others are not? When did the problem start? etc.

Thanks.

[DuaneG]

Hi Daytraderpc,

We haven't had any connectivity related issues on this end today. Could you give a couple of symbols where the delay was being experienced and a rough time frame when the issue was occurring? The technical support department has reported that the phones queues are not unusually high, but we would like to help you resolve the issue. I've also included a link to our FAQ's where connectivity issues are discussed in depth. Please let me know. Thank you.

[MountainTrader]

Please get real.

Quote data started badly lagging (up to 30 seconds) several weeks ago during periods of high market activity (like first thing after the market opens). Need a specific symbol: how about QQQ?

As the other poster said, it IS esignal. I have two other sources of quotes, and they are both fine when esignal lags.

I have high end, up to date hardware.

Customer service had become NONEXISTENT at esignal, and I'm on the verge of cancelling my subscription. The answers obtained from LiveRep are completely USELESS and generally wrong. Now there is not even a toll free number, and this bulletin board is a very poor excuse for a way to resolve issues.

Take, for example, the issue of the ARCA and Island books. They have not been working since last summer. I brought the uissue up then and was demoted to a "Junior member" because I pointed out that all these bells and whistles you're busy working on are completely useless if you can't provide realtime quotes that are in fact realtime. And now I see that there is NO DEFINITE ETA for fixing this problem. Good God, who are you trying to kid? As a software engineer for 2 decades I can tell you your engineers are either completely incompetent or you are simply lying about them working on the problem since last summer.

This reminds me of one of your competitors that went from excellent to useless - you're well on your way.

A couple of weeks ago the best bid and offer from island and arca were not showing up in the level II quotes. I contacted LiveRep (Heather in this case, but I have NEVER gotten a satisfactory response from anyone on any issue). She told me "if an ecn or exchange has its own book then it won't show up in the nasdaq level II quote." I told her this was not true and not how it had been even with esignal - that it had only started that day, but she insisted she was correct.

The next day the problem was fixed and I got back to Heather who told me "Our engineers discovered and fixed the problem." OH REALLY SHERLOCK.

People subscribe to this "service" because they are putting big money at risk based on the information. If you don't understand this and respond accordingly to real problems like data delays, then you are on your way to extinction as a business.

I will be writing in greater detail on this to your sales, marketing, and corporate heads letting them know why they are about to lose my business. I am throroughly disgusted with this sorry excuse for customer "service".

[ScottJ]

I had already reviewed your prior posts and saw for myself that this was an issue as far back as August. It's pretty clear that we dropped the ball on this ARCA issue and it's well past-due to resolve. We've done some further testing this week and while we can replicate the problem, we haven't isolated the source of the problem as of yet. We have implemented a more sophisticated tracking program on those servers and hopefully, we'll get a handle on this within a few more days. I'll be sure to update this thread next week.

When a single user or even a small group report a problem like lagging data, we immediately compare in-house systems and see if we can spot lagging data as well. If we can't, we at least eliminate the core ticker plant and general connectivity as the issue. We then have to focus on the dozens of arteries that feed the data out and each individual's circumstances. Please keep in mind that we have well over 50,000 users and when we have a system wide problem, we get flooded with inquiries.

We'll make sure we're watching our systems closely at the open all of next week and perhaps we'll get lucky and find the problem. If we can't re-produce a problem in-house, we really have no choice but to work with the individual users.

Thanks.

[daytraderpc]

I trade to Emini Contracts. The symbols are ES, ZN, NQ, YM.

I trade to Emini Contracts. The symbols are ES, ZN, NQ, YM. Globex (CME) Exchange.

The period that this data lags is during high volume activity pops or drops. The last time that this happen you had redesigned the Data Manger.

As stated in my previous msg. I know that it is the eSignal Data Manager because I have 3 other machines running trading systems that have not been experiencing these data lagging problems.


Thank you...PC

[es5es5]

I have problems with data lag, too. I used to have alot more problems before I upgraded my computer to match or exceed the Power User specifications. (Look for the system requirements elsewhere on this site. I don't have the link handy. Maybe someone else can post it?)

The data lag happened when my cpu usage went to 99% for a few seconds. My system clock would go out of sync with the real time. I use a program available at http://www.worldtimeserver.com/atomic-clock/ to check and set my system clock. Try pinging the time server when you see data lag and check if your clock is out of sync.

The problem appears to be with eSignal itself, not the data feed. Based on how I see winsig's memory and cpu usage fluctuate, I suspect some inefficiencies in object creation and destruction. This is pure speculation, though, as I haven't actually seen eSignal's code. (I am a programmer in my day job. I only trade part time.)

Also, ScottJ, when you test your feeds do you test only one symbol per layout or multiple symbols using more than one study on each symbol?

[ScottJ]

Originally posted by es5es5
Also, ScottJ, when you test your feeds do you test only one symbol per layout or multiple symbols using more than one study on each symbol?

We're testing a variety of symbols using a pretty standard layout. The tests are designed to compare the speed of the network and connectivity against other sources. There's a host of other variables at work on each individual's desktop but we're testing to make sure the core speed of the quotes is top notch. Results on the desktop vary by o/s, # of symbols, other apps running, ISP routing, hardware specs, studies in use, etc.

When we do get occasional reports of data lagging, our weekly testing gives us confidence that our Network and outbound connectivity is likely not the cause. We keep testing each week to keep our confidence in tact. That being said, we still do all we can to assist users in troubleshooting any sort of data issue on their end.

Thanks.

[atlas]

Lagging data this morning.

3:28
AX H4-DT
MT G4-MA

and 6:40

Quotes stop for 30s before giant spikes are drawn.

-atlas

[MountainTrader]

I did not see any data lag in QQQ yesterday. I will post to this thread next time I do.

As for the suggestions from es5es5:

1) I am running a 2.6 pentium IV, 1 GB ram, win2k, so my system meets the power user requirements. The machine is dedicated to esignal - I run all my other apps on another machine.

2) When I say there is a data lag I do not go by the system clock (which, btw, I believe is automatically set by esignal). I compare to several other data sources I have access to. The island book viewer (island.com) works FLAWLESSLY, and I saw that esignal was falling behind the top of the island book. I then confirmed against lev II quotes from two of my brokers. esignal was falling behind, it was as simple as that., and it was far enough behind that for my type of trading it was useless (20 to 30 seconds during spurts of high market activity).

3) I was not seeing CPU usage spikes when the data was lagging in recent weeks.

4) Worth noting: I've been using esignal for 2 years during which tiime I never saw this type of issue until recent weeks when there have been short spurts of very high volume in the symbols I watch and trade.

[es5es5]

Originally posted by MountainTrader

2) When I say there is a data lag I do not go by the system clock (which, btw, I believe is automatically set by esignal). I compare to several other data sources I have access to. The island book viewer (island.com) works FLAWLESSLY, and I saw that esignal was falling behind the top of the island book. I then confirmed against lev II quotes from two of my brokers. esignal was falling behind, it was as simple as that., and it was far enough behind that for my type of trading it was useless (20 to 30 seconds during spurts of high market activity).

I think you're right about eSignal updating the system clock (ScottJ?). Does the clock at the lower left of the eSignal window match your other system? Try the program I suggested. If your clock is out of sync then you're cpu bound. If your clock is fine then there may be a data problem.

[ACM]

es5es5
There is an option to synchronize (on Data Manager startup only) the system clock to that of eSignal's network.
To enable/disable synchronization open Data Manager then in the main menu select Data->Time.
Alex

[daytraderpc]

ES, NQ, YM, zn contracts

Hello,

I am very frustrated with this data lag. getting worse and worse.

I $$$ for a service that is horrible. eSignal is a great software but the data manager sticks.

all day long I have been experiencing data lag on high volume. how does one trade with this garbage.

you are suppose to be the best in the industry (NOT!)

again, i know it is eSignal because my other trading platforms experience no delay!

ps. I have been in the IT business for over 20 years, so I do know what I am talking about.

I am ready to cancel my service!

...PC

[ScottJ]

Our internal bench testing is not indicating any lagging in our system. We need to troubleshoot from your end back to us and see where the problem may lie.

Have you done ping tests and/or trace routes to see if there's any issue with the route being taken by your ISP? Comparing to another service you have running is not necceasrily reliable as the route for each connection will be different.

We can have a tech call you and help in the troubleshooting. Either give us a call or PM one of us with your username and we'll have someone contact you.

I appreciate that you are seeing a lag on your quotes and in the end, that's all that really matters. On our end though, we know there's not a system-wide issue with latency so we have to deal with each situation case by case.

Thanks.

[ACM]

FWIW I run a Globex terminal and as far as I have seen there were no discernable lags. Note that my Globex feed is off a completely separate feed from my internet connection.
Alex