HDMI (and other modern video connectors) have a wire which supports a query to the monitor of its capabilities. Automatic configuration of video mode is via this (in the old days config files would require manual editing or naming a setting from a database of known monitor settings). Should automatic configuration fail there is a fallback default mode. Default sometimes matches what the monitor can do, and sometimes does not.
So problem one would be if EDID query works, but the monitor responds with something the video system can’t understand. There are actually many monitors with these “quirks”, and kernel code (somewhat humorously) reflects this.
Problem two would be if EDID query fails outright. EDID uses i2c protocol, so if anything is not right there, then EDID fails completely. An example would be if a VGA adapter is used since VGA literally cuts the EDID wire.
Problem three is if EDID works, but for some reason all modes of the monitor are not workable due to drivers and kernel issues.
To find out what’s going on you will need either ssh access or serial console access. See:
[url]http://elinux.org/Jetson/TX1_Serial_Console[/url]