Desktop running 4x 4k monitors - TOS Lags

Discussion in 'Hardware' started by fishindamarket, Oct 1, 2021.

  1. Is anyone else having issues with Thinkorswim lagging?
    I cant figure out if its the app, or the fact i have 4x 4k monitors running multiple charts
     
    qlai likes this.
  2. terr

    terr

    ToS is a single-threaded application, AFAIU. Thus, it would struggle under load on a modern multi-core computer. Each core in a multi-core CPU is not that powerful, but there are many (4? 8? 16?) of them. If the application does not take advantage of multiple cores, it won't perform very well.

    There is other third-party software that connects to your TD Ameritrade account and is much more efficient than ToS.
     
  3. what would your suggestions be if i wanted to use TOS then without a 3rd party app? what kind of hardware would be good to upgrade?

    also, what 3rd party apps are you talking about ?
     
  4. terr

    terr

    ToS - as far as I understand, as powerful a single-core processor as you can get, with as much memory as possible.

    3rd party - Medved Trader for one (NOTE: I am one of the developers)
    https://medvedtrader.com/

    It is a fully multithreaded PC application that is very efficient.
     
  5. Does it have an active trader ladder for daytrading?
     
  6. terr

    terr

    DOM price ladder for trading? Sure. You can also trade from Charts or from Trade Tickets. Or from Hotkeys (btw - the most versatile Hotkey system around).
     
  7. maxinger

    maxinger

    I have a rather powerful computer and fast internet.
    I use multiple monitors.

    I am using Esignal charting software.
    most of the time, there is about < .5 sec lag which is quite acceptable.

    Occasionally, the lag could be in minutes when there
    is a very major event in the US and that causes very heavy traffic.
    Such a thing happens about once a year.

    I have tried proprietary charting software (which only plot ES).
    the lag was negligible no matter how heavy the traffic was.
    It was really fantastic.

    I have tried a few other fxxxking charting software.
    and those were totally hopeless / useless.


    I don't know the technical details.
    What I know is that different charting software send and receive data
    differently.

    So I guess you have to do some exploration.
     
  8. The graphics demand for charting is very low.... even if running 4x, 4k monitors... that is if you are running only "stock" tools... the ones that come on your software which you can simply select and use. In that case lagging issues likely software related.

    If you're running "custom" indicators, that's different. CPU requirements can be much higher.

    Also, graphing tic charts may require lots of horsepower.
     
  9. i guess i will try and write TD to see if there's soemthing i can do on that end with the program to speed it up
     
  10. Mark2m

    Mark2m

    I have the same issue, although more drastic lag due to IB with 6 accounts, Sierra charting software, Fidelity accounts, Worden TC 2K, and Chrome for Seeking Alpha and Marketplace. I am running 4 monitors with i7 32gb with multiple SSD's. I would recommend task manager Control/Alt/Delete and monitor while trading. Chrome is running 1gig, 2 IB accts are running 1gb each, chrome 1 gb, Sierra 1 gb, so overall I am running 30% (at times) of my 32GB Drams. My CPU is at 25 to 35% and the memory is the same although will tend to spike. Better more powerful GPU's will not alleviate the issues, the lag is objectionable although will live with it until I can build another computer with a i9 and overclocking + 64GB.
     
    #10     Oct 22, 2021