Reviewing Tape and/or Level 2? How do you do it?

 Reviewing tape I am told is one of those methods to speed up your progress. So I've started reviewing tape. I've been recording it for a while because I had heard/read that I should be reviewing it, but not until recently have I gone back over some of the recordings. The problem is I honestly don't think that all "tapes/level 2s" are created equal. I'm dealing with Thinkorswim tape and I know it doesn't look like others, though I believe many of them are similar. I wonder who has used different brokers and knows the differences and which one they like. I imagine anyone who has access to all of the orders would have quite the advantage over retailers like myself using thinkorswim.  Because I feel like I'm at a little disadvantage using this tape I have to do my best from what I can tell, like on the level 2 when a 100 share order or 0 (less than 100) share order sits there and holds the bid for thousands and thousands of shares - there's obviously a different order there. But what does it really mean, if the price isn't pushed up later. Price action is huge. One of the things I've been doing my best to note is the actual speed of the tape the price moves around. How far does it bounce off of a price, how fast does it retake a price? Does it take 10 give 5 take 10 etc. Is it grinding? Is it passive or aggressive - hitting bids or the ask or waiting and giving ground then pushing? what is the speed like in all of these instances?  I think these little things will help. What I tend to do is look for pivotal moments throughout the day and then go and watch the tape at and around those times.  Sometimes I speed it up and/or slow it down? I'm sure there are more things to be looking for. I've wondered what is going on when orders cross the tape that are not at the bid or ask but beyond them. What is it? If you know drop a line? What are their significance? I see it quite often - Ask is at 39.50 or something and there are offers stacked behind it at various prices and then several hundred shares go down the time and sales at 40.67 or something. What is that?  Alright. I know there's more to learn, but I agree that reading tap can provide some edge, even if it is on thinkorswim. I think any understanding you can gain will help that little bit more and all of those little pieces add up. Cheers!