It was plugged into a 42" 1080 HD Samsung Series 5 TV. The TV has 3 HDMI ports, and the PS3 doesn't work on any of them. Howeverm, the cable works, because my laptop will show on the TV using the same cable, in any of the three ports, just fine.

Thus, it has to be the PS3's HDMI port >_

did you try resetting the default resolution like theprof00 says. Thats just a very strange thing to go wrong in a new system.

I had a similar problem when after a crash it reset to PAL which my monitor did not support. It gave no indications of what was wrong, just that it looked like there was no signal.

Are you sure its your PS3? Same thing happened to me but instead my HDMI cable works on my living room TV and does not wor in my TV in the living room after changing from 360 to PS3 to 360 to PS3 an amount of time to the point it doesn't work in my room anymore, this show that my tv HDMI doesn't work lol

have you tried other TV's?

my second PS3 died yesterday. My first phat died two months out of warranty and my slim died yesterday just 8 weeks old! This one was HDD corrupt though not YLOD. Still - Im pretty annoyed especially as I looked after it, didnt use it all day or anything. Grrr. Still got it replaced within the hour from Blockbuster...

On the bright side you can still use your composite cables right? XD ...but yea sorry to hear, once you go HD you never want to go back.  Hope Sony will fix it for free.

I'm pretty sure it's the PS3 - I mean, why would my laptop still run without any issues over HDMI into the same TV, with the same cable, otherwise?

I tried resetting the defualt display settings; it will run in 576i via Scart, and it will allow me to select 'HDMI', but when I do, and I change to the HDMI channel on the TV, it says 'no signal'. :( until it reverts back to the scart again 30 seconds later.

Ok, now I think your problem it that your TV does not support 576i over HDMI and is giving you a blank screen.

What I think you need to do is via Scart go to the display options and select HDMI at custom resolutions abd only select 1080p and confirm. Switch back to HDMI and see if there is a picture before the 30 seconds are up.

If that doesn't work swear at it for an hour and gently rock it before giving up.

try to obtain this:

http://www.amazon.com/PlayStation-3-Component-AV-Cable/dp/B000MIXFWA

well, you can at least play in 720p/1080i....

Rest in peace

That's the same as the SCART cable he is using. SCART and Component are basically the same, they are just for different regions of the world.