Better Pro Am Indicators – FAQs

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Installation Questions

What trading platform do I need to use the Better Pro Am indicators?: The Better Pro Am indicators are available for TradeStation, MultiCharts and NinjaTrader.
Do the indicators work with TradeStation 2000i?: No. The indicators work with TradeStation 7 & 8.
Do the indicators work with MultiCharts 5.5 or 6.0?: The indicators work with both MultiCharts 5.5 and 6.0. .sef files are included in the download for MultiCharts 5.5 and 6.0.
Do the indicators work with MCFX?: No. The indicators are compiled for and work with MultiCharts. Unfortunately, MCFX does not import indicators compiled for MultiCharts.
Do the indicators work with NinjaTrader 6.5 or 7?: The indicators work with both NinjaTrader 6.5 and 7. Indicator import files are included in the download for NinjaTrader 6.5 and 7.
Can the Better Pro Am indicators be installed on more than one computer?: Yes. Multiple computers are no problem.
Do you need my TradeStation user id?: No. The code does not require your TradeStation user id to work.
What TradeStation data services do I need to subscribe to?: For Emini day trading you need the CME Data Package #1 (real-time data) which costs $25 per month (price as of March 2010).
Will the Better Pro Am indicators expire in the future?: No. There are no time restrictions built into the code.
Why is this symbol "|" shown when I import the indicators into TradeStation?: This error occurs when you try to import the indicators into older versions of TradeStation 8. To correct the problem, please update to the latest version of TradeStation.
I can't see the Better Pro Am video tutorial with my AT&T Yahoo browser.: Some customers have had problems logging in and viewing the high definition video tutorials using the AT&T Yahoo browser. Please use an alternate browser such as Internet Explorer, Firefox or Google Chrome.
Is there a trading manual in PDF format for Better Pro Am?: No. There are trading manuals in PDF format for Better Sine Wave and Better Momentum. However, for Better Pro Am I have decided to just have the instruction videos with a guide (in text and PDF formats) to help you find particular sections of the videos. Ideally I’d like all users to have Better Sine Wave, Momentum and Pro Am – since they are designed to work together – and so 3 manuals would be overkill. Eventually there will be 1 manual that covers all three indicators.

Usage Questions

Better Pro Am PaintBar turns most of my bars yellow. What am I doing wrong?: Check Format Analysis Techniques > Better Pro Am PB > General, make sure the "Update values intra-bar" box is un-checked. The indicator should just be calculating when the bar closes, not continuously while the bar is open. Also check Format Symbol > Settings > For volume use Trade volume, not Tick count. The indicator needs to be referencing real volume traded data.
Why doesn’t the RAMBO (R) text print directly above/below the Amateur bar?: This is a TradeStation glitch. When the market is moving quickly and you’re using real-time charts, the signal text (R) tends to plot a bar or two behind the real signal (Amateur bar). Apologies, nothing Emini-Watch can do.
What is the difference between Better Pro Am and Better Pro Am PB?: The Better Pro Am indicator plots the Profit Taking, Stopping Volume, No Demand, No Supply and RAMBO volume patterns. These patterns indicate Professional accumulation and distribution and, in the case of the RAMBO pattern, Amateur led breakouts. The Better Pro Am PB is a PaintBar that identifies Professional and Amateur activity using the average trade size.
What is the difference between Better Pro Am and Better Volume?: The Better Pro Am PaintBars (blue and yellow bars) identify Professional and Amateur activity using average trade size. Better Volume infers Professional activity by looking for large volume but relatively small range bars – “High Churn” bars. The assumption is that Professionals can enter/exit without moving price significantly. Part of the reason they can do this is that they enter/exit at price extremes. Amateurs are seen on low volume bars. In my personal trading I’ve switched 100% to Better Pro Am from Better Volume.
Can the Better Pro Am indicators be used for Emini day trading?: Yes. I use the Better Pro Am indicators every day in my Emini day trading.
Do the indicators work on tick charts or time-based charts?: The Better Pro Am volume patterns work on tick charts and time-based charts. The Better Pro Am PaintBar works best on tick charts. But in my own trading I do use the Better Pro Am PaintBar on daily, weekly and monthly charts, even though it is not specifically designed for this.
Can I use the Better Pro Am indicators on candlestick charts?: Yes. The volume accumulation and distribution patterns are plotted as text above/below the price bars. In addition, there is a ShowMe version of the PaintBar indicator (that plots the Professional/Blue and Amateur/Yellow bars) that plots the signals as dots above and below the price bars.
Can I use the Better Pro Am indicators as stand alone indicators?: The Better Pro Am indicators can be used as stand alone indicators, however, you will have a much higher winning percentage by using price cycles (Better Sine Wave) and volume momentum (Better Momentum) too.
When are the volume patterns and PaintBars plotted?: The volume patterns and PaintBars are plotted at the close of the bar.
How do you know whether Professionals are buying or selling?: The easiest way to answer this is with a video. Around the 6 minute mark I explain how I interpret Professional and Amateur activity and whether it is buying or selling. Go see the Professional buying or selling video here.
How do you confirm entry signals and ignore early volume pattern signals?: I look for 3 things. First, I like to see that Exhaustion Volume has recently taken place. This indicates "all the buyers have bought", in the case of a market top. Second, I look for Professional activity at price extremes, showing they're taking profits and reversing their positions. Third, I look for a turning point using the Better Sine Wave indicator, either in this time frame or higher time frames. More information is provided in the Better Pro Am trading videos.
Can I edit the Better Pro Am indicator code?: No. The code is protected and not able to be edited. However, a Better Pro Am Function is included in the download so you can program your own systems or indicators using the Better Pro Am signals.
Do you trade with the Better Pro Am indicators yourself?: Yes. I use the Better Pro Am indicators for all my trading. They have helped me enormously to follow the Professionals are "fade" the Amateurs.
Do the Better Pro Am indicators work in any market and time frame?: The Better Pro Am volume patterns work in all markets and time frames. The Better Pro Am PaintBars work best on tick charts and are particularly useful in highly liquid markets, such as the Emini. Remember, if you trade Forex you're better off charting Forex futures from the CME because volume data is available from this exchange.

Purchasing Questions

I bought NinjaTrader versions of the indicators. Can I get TradeStation ones free?: No, not free but at a 50% discount. Email me via the contact form and I’ll forward a discount coupon code.
Will I get a DVD and manual in the mail?: No. All the files are delivered electronically. Once you purchase, you'll be sent to a web page with a download link which you click to download a zipped file. The Indicator Code, Installation Instructions and Trading Manual are included in the zipped file. The Installation Instructions and Trading Manual are in PDF format. You'll also be sent an email with link to a web page where all the video tutorials are available to be watched online.
It looks like you only accept PayPal. How do I pay by credit card?: Credit card payments are accepted. Ignore the “You have selected PayPal as your payment provider for this transaction” wording on the order page. This is very confusing – my apologies, but it is beyond my control. Just fill in the “Billing Information” and click the “Submit Order” button and you'll be taken to a page where you select “Pay with a debit or credit card” and then fill in your credit card details.
Is the price a one-time fee or recurring monthly charge for the software?: There is just one payment for the Better Pro Am indicators and NO recurring charges.
How secure is the payment process?: All payments are processed by PayPal with their industry leading focus on data encryption and customer protection.
Do all the fields in the payment information need to be filled in?: No. Just the fields marked with an asterisk (*). If the input field does not make sense, just type in "n/a".
Can I buy if I live outside the US?: Yes. All you need is a credit card or PayPal account.
I don't have a credit card. How else can I pay?: Payment by bank transfer (eCheque/eCheck) and PayPal balance are also accepted.
How often are the indicators updated and what does each update cost?: Any updates to the Better Pro Am indicators will be free to all existing customers. You can check details of the latest versions here.
How are indicator updates handled?: Customers are emailed as soon as a new version of one of the “Better” indicators is available. The email will include a download link plus installation instructions. You can check details of the latest versions here.