Hi guys,
when connecting an external LCD screen to my new VAIO VPCSE2S1/S (Intel HD 3000/Radeon 6630M hybrid graphics) through the HDMI port, the screen is not recognised by Windows. I tried two screens, both SAMSUNG, both confirmed to work with a different laptop using the same HDMI to DVI cable, which rules out HDCP issues. Switching to external display via Fn+F7 results in an error message (no display found), and in Control Panel --> Screen Resolution, manual identification of the screen fails also. I do not get any output while booting or in the BIOS either (though I'm not sure if this indicates any problem). SPEED or STAMINA mode doesn't make a difference.
The screen itself seems to notice that there is some kind of connection, because when I disconnect the HDMI jack from the laptop, it displays a "check signal cable" window. When plugged back in, the notice disappears, but the screen remains black.
Sony Support asked me to reset the system to the default installation - I did my own, clean re-install of Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit - before they will bother at all with the issue. I would like to consider this a last resort because of the massive inconvenience involved.
The drivers I installed were all from the official Sony website except for the Realtek audio driver, where I used the original one from Realtek. There are no yellow bangs in the device manager.
I have spent a fair time searching online for a solution, but to no avail. Most discussions revolve around the lack of sound output through HDMI, and the first advice is always to check for an HDMI playback device (via right-click on the volume control). Interestingly, I see no such playback device on my system. The device manager does show an "Intel Display Audio" device though. Whether this relates to my problem at all, I don't know, but I thought I would mention it just in case.
Does anybody have a clue? Could the lack of the HDMI sound playback device have anything to do with the video problem, or are these independent issues? Would you expect the HDMI output to show the BIOS and boot process? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. The VGA output is so bloody fuzzy...
Best regards,
Dominic
PS: This, by the way, only adds to the stack of problems I have had with my first ever VAIO. Only a few weeks old, and it has been in for repair twice already because of poor workmanship (defective headphone jack, malfunctioning space bar and touch pad keys - thank god it even arrived in one piece!). After 7 years of using ACER without any trouble, despite their terrible reputation, I am seriously disappointed by Sony...
