@fields = unpack('n3', $_);   # unsigned big-endian
@fields = unpack('v3', $_);   # unsigned little-endian
@fields = unpack('S3', $_);   # unsigned native
@fields = unpack('n!3', $_);  # signed   big-endian
@fields = unpack('v!3', $_);  # signed   little-endian
@fields = unpack('s3', $_);   # signed   native

##</code><code>##

# signed big-endian
@fields = map { unpack 's', pack 'S', $_ } unpack('n3', $_);

# signed little-endian
@fields = map { unpack 's', pack 'S', $_ } unpack('v3', $_);