How can you tell if a flat screen is LCD or Plasma?

Question

Suppose you have a flat screen, with no names or specifications on it, how could you tell if it is a LCD or a Plasma screen; just by looking at it? You can't look at the sides, just the front.

Answer 1

Heat.

Plasmas work by igniting a gas so they generate a LOT of heat. Just hold your hand in front and if it feels really really hot it's a plasma.

Answer 2

PASS YOUR FINGER SOFTLY ON THE SCREEN IF YOU SEE A LITTILE STREAK THAN ITS LCD

Answer 3

Blacks.

On perfectly black video, the plasma will have a far deeper black than the LCD.  The LCD may appear to be "pseudo-black" where you will perceive it as black but it's not exactly black but "illuminated black" appearing more like a very dark gray.

Answer 4

Plasma TVs have a durable glass screen. LCD TVs have a soft, fragile plastic screen. Just tap the screen & you will know. The problem with the rub test is that a few LCD TVs (Vizio) do use a ridgid outer plastic screen, so you will not see the LCDs deform and streak.