unpack

$binary_string = pack("nvc*", 0x1234, 0x5678, 65, 66);
$array = unpack("nvc*", $binary_string);

a = [0x1234, 0x5678, 65, 66];
 
binary_string = a.pack("nvc*");
 
my_array = binary_string.unpack('nvc*');