Liquid-crystal display for on-set reference — fast, bright, affordable. Insufficient for critical color decisions; calibrated reference monitor remains the standard.
On set, you quickly need an overview of what the camera is actually recording. The LCD television — in contrast to a dedicated reference monitor — is the all-purpose solution for on-the-go: affordable, bright enough for daylight, and available in any size. You connect it to the camera or video assist via HDMI or SDI and immediately see if the focus is sharp, if the framing is correct, if the movement looks as planned.
The problem: LCD technology with backlighting and a limited color gamut is not calibratable in the sense required for critical color and exposure decisions. The viewing angle dependency is significant — if the DoP is on one side and the focus puller on the other, you're practically seeing different images. It becomes critical in daylight: LCD displays lose contrast and detail visibility in brightness. You can hardly tell where the shadows are falling off or if highlights are clipping. Therefore, they are used for what they can do: focus control, movement composition, live reference — not for color-critical decisions.
Practical Difference: Where a calibrated reference monitor (see also: Monitor Calibration, Rec. 709) gives you pixel-accurate color and grayscale information, the LCD television provides orientation. This is not to be underestimated — many indie productions rely entirely on them. But anyone who later sits in the DI (Digital Intermediate) or grading suite quickly notices whether the set was viewed with a usable monitor or a consumer LCD. The consequence: corrections that you could have already seen on set.
Modern LCD televisions are getting better: HDR support, higher brightness, better panel technology. But the structural limitations remain. So use them intelligently — as a reference for technical aspects and composition, but don't commit to color when a critical decision is pending. For that, bring out the right reference monitor or wait for the first color correction in post.