Microcontroller is a bit of an overkill; IMHO - but certainly makes for a flexible design.
I would have agreed a few years ago but these days a microcontroller is less than the cost of discreet I.C's and so it make sense to use one at $2.50 each - it also cuts down on stock held as they are not "project specific" and can be programmed as required for the job at hand.
