WTH Causes this...

[KarsusTG]

When I connect my monitor directly to my laptop via HDMI I get this..

However if I connect the monitor using the same cable to my docking station, it's crystal clear.... It's driving me crazy, because I can use that exact same cable and connect to my TV and it's also crystal clear... WTF is going on?!?!

Laptop in question is an XPS L502x with a 540M.

 

[U53r]

Looks to me like a bad video card.

 

[munkle]

or the hdmi port is going bad on the laptop (I assume the docking station is using the 540m from the laptop and not switching to intel graphics)

 

[sadbuttrue]

Don't assume the HDMI cable is OK. I've seen HDMI cables fail only when connected to a PC graphics card, but run fine when used elsewhere (ie a console). I'm guessing there are slightly different voltages/timings being sent which bring any cable fault to the surface.

Ignore me if as above the docking station is being used with the same laptop tho.

 

[KarsusTG]

It's a USB 3.0 docking station. When I got into the Intel control panel it shows one monitor and the nvidia control panel shows the second monitor. It just makes me wonder because I can unplug the HDMI cable from the monitor and jack it into the 1080p tv right beside me without ever d/c from the laptop and it's crystal clear...

Edit: It's this docking station I am using.

 

[SJetski71]

For troubleshooting purposes have you tried a different hdmi cable yet?

 

[KarsusTG]

It's the only one I have atm. Going to pick another one up tomorrow. I couldn't see how it could be bad since it works via the docking station and when hooked up to the TV. Stranger things have happened though.