# Understand Core settings and compare timeframes fairly

Use verified Core defaults as a baseline, change one calculation at a time, and record timeframe and chart-type differences accurately.

Canonical: https://getphantomflow.com/docs/settings-and-timeframes
Updated: 2026-09-09
Author: Phantom Flow documentation

Core settings control both calculations and what is drawn. Begin by distinguishing those jobs. Hiding a line changes what you see; changing its lookback changes the calculation. Neither a cleaner chart nor more frequent labels establishes better performance.

## A documented baseline

The Core source reviewed for these docs uses the following defaults. Your saved inputs or an older copy may differ, so compare the actual settings before using this table as a reference.

| Module | Input | Reviewed default |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Phantom Shift | ATR Period | 10 |
| Phantom Shift | Multiplier | 3.0 |
| Phantom Oscillator | MA Type | SMA |
| Phantom Oscillator | MA Length | 40 |
| Phantom Oscillator | Oscillator Length | 15 |
| Phantom Oscillator | Threshold | 0.5 |
| Order blocks | Order Block Mitigation | High/Low |
| Fair value gaps | Fair Value Gaps | Off |

These are starting values from the source, not optimized settings for a particular instrument or trading style.

## Understand the unit before changing the number

Lookbacks count bars. Forty bars on a five-minute chart cover a different duration from forty hourly bars. Switching timeframes therefore changes the information the calculation receives even if every number in the settings remains the same.

Shift's ATR Period controls the volatility lookback and Multiplier affects the distance involved in its trend calculation. Oscillator MA Type and MA Length change its reference average, while Oscillator Length and Threshold affect its momentum behavior. Treat a change as a new configuration to observe, not an automatic improvement.

## Reduce visual confusion first

Use module visibility controls to identify which drawing belongs to which module. Core has optional oscillator columns, gaps, higher-timeframe highs/lows, and premium/discount zones. Internal and swing structure can be displayed separately. Mode offers Historical and Present views, while Style changes the visual color treatment.

Be careful with controls that affect events as well as appearance. The oscillator's Show Signals input participates in its signal conditions in the reviewed source. Disabling it also prevents those oscillator conditions from contributing to Combo events. Show Confluence Stars, by contrast, controls the star drawing. Do not assume every checkbox is cosmetic.

## Compare the same kind of chart

Record the full symbol and exchange, session, chart type, and interval. Standard candles are a useful baseline for interpreting the quoted price ranges in these docs. Nonstandard charts can use transformed or constructed prices. TradingView explains that distinction in [non-standard chart data](https://www.tradingview.com/pine-script-docs/concepts/non-standard-charts-data/).

The FVG Timeframe input is separate from the chart interval. If you select a higher interval there, record both and read the [gap timing caveat](/docs/fair-value-gaps).

## Preserve a comparison you can trust

Save your baseline settings and screenshot. Change one input, inspect a predefined interval, and record what changed. If you revise settings after seeing the outcomes, evaluate the revised configuration on new observations. Recreate any alerts intended to follow the new settings. The [evaluation journal](/docs/evaluate-an-indicator) provides a place to keep those versions separate.

## Related articles

- [Core and Pro: access and module names](https://getphantomflow.com/docs/core-and-pro-modules)
- [Fair value gaps: identify the range and its limits](https://getphantomflow.com/docs/fair-value-gaps)
- [Evaluate an indicator with a reproducible journal](https://getphantomflow.com/docs/evaluate-an-indicator)

Educational documentation. Phantom Flow visualizes chart information and provides alerts. It does not execute trades or guarantee results.