What resolution (640x480, 1024x768, 480i/p, 720p, 768p, 1080i/p) is the laptop set to?
Did you update the firmware of the AVR? (Don't assume HK did so when they "repaired" it!)
I have the exact same AVR.
Is your laptop the only way to send a signal to your AVR? Do you have a cable/sat box, HD DVD player, Blu-Ray player, upconverting player, etc.? Have you fed a SDPIF signal from your display to your AVR? (Okay, that won't test the HDMI, but still...)