If you need to use base_convert with numbers larger then 32 bit, the following gmp implementation of base_convert should work.
<?php
/*use gmp library to convert base. gmp will convert numbers > 32bit*/
function gmp_convert($num, $base_a, $base_b)
{
return gmp_strval ( gmp_init($num, $base_a), $base_b );
}
?>