yes it could be done without microcontroller... sending your data to the serial COM port of your PC, using a serial-to-parallel circuit. and it should work. Some Shift register could do the job. Using the TX pin for your data and use the DTR pin to refresh your display. Same thing could be done using the parallel port (LPT).
It's also possible to use some 'ready to go' LED display driver ICs from Maxims wich work with the I2C bus. There's some routine 'round the web that use the Parrallel port (printer) or the Serial (COM) port for that.