As Steve Jobs once noted, a good idea only becomes innovation when it is put into practice. Unrival, the free app from CHAUVET Professional, embraces this philosophy by making the work of production professionals easier.
Introduced this summer, this app, designed with field work in mind, aims to transform production workflows by putting information directly into the hands of professionals. It has now also been recognized with a 2026 PLASA Award for Innovation.
A total of 43 products were submitted for this prestigious award, which is determined by an independent panel of industry experts. Unrival was one of only eight products to receive this recognition.
Announcing the award, LSi, which runs the PLASA Awards for Innovation alongside PLASA, described Unrival as "a free app that makes addressing and managing a lighting rig easier on site and in the warehouse, with multiple users able to access the same information in real time".
The announcement also highlighted Unrival's ability to "help improve communication and workflow through the novel use of self-generated QR codes".
Designed to make preparation, patching, configuration and maintenance faster, easier and more reliable, Unrival delivers precisely on this approach.
It is not simply another "NFC app" offering a single access point within a broader workflow tool. Unrival operates as a standalone app that provides direct access to setup, patching, testing, firmware and diagnostics for compatible fixtures, without the need to dismantle a setup or navigate through individual fixture menus.
In addition to its capabilities, Unrival stands out for its versatility. The app can work with fixtures from different brands, not just CHAUVET Professional products, meaning technicians do not need to use multiple apps to manage the different fixtures within a rig.
Unrival can also import patch data from existing workflows, including MVR files and Spreadsheet/CSV patch files; render 3D show environments; coordinate rig patching among multiple team members using the app's integrated patching tool; and wirelessly update CHAUVET fixture firmware via Bluetooth.
The CHAUVET Professional team is very pleased to have received the PLASA Award for Innovation. Beyond the award itself, however, the real reward lies in knowing that this innovation can help technicians, programmers, rental companies, touring crews and production houses accomplish more in less time, reducing costs, increasing efficiency and making day-to-day work easier.
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